


In the Sanctuary of the Stars

by LunaisSuperior



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, F/F, F/M, Godfather Remus Lupin, Good Slytherins, Gryffindor, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Or Is he?, Prophecy, Regulus is a Ghost, Seer, Slytherin, Spanish Speaking, The Marauder's Map, minor daddy issues, sirius black's daughter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:28:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 36,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28944438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaisSuperior/pseuds/LunaisSuperior
Summary: " 'I love you' means nothing until you've seen the scars from all my yesterdays and still long for all my tomorrows. "Cassiopeia Lupus Black loved the moon and stars while Harry James Potter loved the sun and clouds. They were both so different yet so similar. Haunted by their inescapable pasts, born into tragedy. Their souls may not dance but their devils do tango."There is madness in her bloodline." they'd warn.But what if he didn't care? After all, everyone has a chapter they don't read out loud. And though she may be mad, she's also magic and there's no lie in her fire.*I usually update at least once every week and this story is also posted on Wattpad with the same name (updates are earlier there). Xx
Relationships: Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, Draco Malfoy & Original Female Character(s), Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson & Blaise Zabini & Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter & Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Original Female Character(s), Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley & Original Female Character(s), James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Luna Lovegood & Ginny Weasley & Original Female Character(s), Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom & Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Tracey Davis & Hermione Granger & Original Female Character(s), Tracey Davis & Original Female Character(s), Tracey Davis/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 36





	1. Disclaimer

Hey, I'd like to thank every single one of you for clicking on my story and reading it, especially if you decide to stick around and read it all.

I'm fairly new to writing and would love it if you, as a reader, could give me any feedback on my story and vote if you enjoy it!

I have created a Spotify playlist for this story that gets updated with every new chapter posted, it has the same name as this story does and this is the link > https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3aeqyBVratn6GA7VII7A30?si=HHPS6pvVRL-bcjwaUUu5LQ (The songs don't always relate that much with the chapters but I try)

This story belongs to me, but the Harry Potter universe (obviously) doesn't. All canon storylines and characters belong to J K Rowling, though I'd like to make it clear that I don't support the transphobic arse that she is.

All non-canon characters and plots/storylines belong to me so please don't copy them without permission. Some information like birthdays and middle names aren't completely accurate but I tried to get them all as accurate as I could.

As a follow up, I'd also like to make it clear that I love and support every last one of you. This is a LGBTQ+ safe space and any homophobia, transphobe, racism or anything of this nature will be deleted and you will be blocked!

Please vote and comment, any feedback would be appreciated! That's it from me so enjoy reading!

Hope you all enjoy the story and have a great day Xx


	2. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween 1981

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Prologue by John Williams

A cold breeze swept across the small village of Godric's Hollow on that Halloween night in 1981, it was a quarter past eight and the final trick-or-treaters had just stopped their hunt and returned home as the small family sat down in front of the fire.

On the crimson sofa sat a young couple chatting mindlessly while looking on at the toddlers playing before them loving.

Curly, ginger hair and a pale, freckled complexion, the woman, Lily, drank her cup of tea - eyes glistening in amusement as she ease-dropped on the children's conversation.

Her be-speckled husband, James, stood running a hand through his ever-messy hair, a mischievous smirk adorned his face.

"Who wants hot chocolate?" he asked. In reply he got two excited squeals from his son and honorary niece.

So there the children sat, squirty cream moustaches and all, giggling at each other.

The girl, Cassie, was only just two years old, her brown hair in pigtails and a permanent smile stretched across her freckled face whereas the boy, Harry, was one and a quarter years old his hair was a replica of his father's but his eyes, oh his eyes were all Lily as green as emeralds glinting in the light as he laughed dimples adorning his rosy cheeks.

Time progressed slowly, but as the night rolled in the mood quickly turned sinister. James looked out of the window, eyes widening in panic as he ran to the door.

"Lily **_he's_** here, he's right outside! Take the kids and get out of here, I'll hold him off. I love you!"

Lily quickly grabbed the kids and ran upstairs into the nursery, panicking when she realised both hers and James's wands were in the kitchen.

Piling furniture in front of the door to try and delay him she tried to come up with an escape plan when suddenly she heard the heart-breaking sound downstairs.

"Avada kedavra"

Holding back sobs she turned around to face her terrified children.

"Cassie, I need you to stay sitting in the wardrobe quiet as a mouse until the bad man goes away, okay?" she says as she picks her up out of the crib and puts her in the wardrobe.

"Okay Auntie Lily, I love you."

"I love you too sweetie, I'm going to close this door now, stay safe." Lily says shakily kissing Cassie on the cheek and then closing the door.

She then turns to Harry, picking him up, rocking him gently then kissing his cheek and putting him back in the crib.

"Mummy loves you Harry. And Daddy loves you too. You are so loved my sweet boy, I just need you to be brave a little while longer."

The sound of the door being blasted open silences her. She stands there, eyes filled with determination and paralysing fear.

"Move out of the way girl and I shall spare you." the man hisses.

Lily stays rooted to the spot.

"Have you no self-preservation? You foolish girl, i said move a side."

Aggravated by her disobedience, he losses all self-restraints.

"Fine then. Have it your way, you have left me no choice! I have no idea what Severus see's in a mudblood such as yourself anyways, the man has always had poor taste."

"Avada kedavra."

A blinding green light emits from his wand as he watches her body fall to the ground in disgust.

"So, you must be Mr Potter," he says looking into the crib at the crying toddler.

"I've had a lot of trouble trying to find you. I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but you don't seem to think the same. I'll skip the small talk and just get it over with, shall I?

"Avada kedavra!"

An emotion only recognisable as immense horror flashes through Voldemort's eyes as his curse rebound: obliterating him, only leaving behind his wand, a lightning bolt shaped scar and two traumatised children.


	3. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassiopeia Lupus Black - daughter of Sirius 'Mass Murderer' Black, goddaughter of Remus 'Werewolf Mcwerewolf' Lupin and 2nd cousin to Narcissa 'My hair is worth more than your life' Malfoy - had quite a sheltered childhood. 
> 
> Well, she did if you don't include losing her aunt and uncle, witnessing a murder and being taken away from her father - but no-one's childhood is perfect, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Achilles come down by Gang of Youths

"Remus, please, you have to take her!"

"Sirius your perfectly capable of looking after her yourself, why do I have to take her?"

"You don't understand, you **need** to take her. They'll be after me soon and I need to find him first!"

"Who? Sirius, you're making no sense?"

"No, time to explain!" he says placing a gentle kiss on the sleeping child's forehead before handing her to Remus. "Take care of her, I have faith in you. I'll miss you, old friend."

"What do you mean? When will you be back?"

Remus gets no response as he stands at his door watching Sirius leave, apparating away without looking back.

❾¾

Remus awoke the next day to a loud knock at the door. After quickly checking on the sleeping child, he answered the door with a yawn.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Remus spluttered as he opened the door wondering why his old headmaster was visiting him.

"Mr Lupin, may I come in? I'm afraid I have some grave news." 

Remus paled at these words, "Of course, Professor. I'll put the kettle on, shall I?"

"No need my boy, I shan't be staying long. Let's have a seat, shall we?" Remus nodded, too anxious to form a coherent response.

"Now, I'm sure you're aware that the Potters' house was under the fidelius charm with Sirius Black as their secret keeper."

"Yes sir, what about it?" Remus said, worry seeping into his bones.

"Well, last night that charm was broken, which can only happen if the secret keeper tells of the location, because of this Voldemort was able to find the Potters and I'm sorry to say that Lily and James were found dead at the scene."

"No, not James and Lily! Sirius would never!" Remus cried heart broken. Greif swallowed him whole like quicksand, like it was the ocean, and he didn't know how to swim, waves of pain drowning him.

"That's not all, I'm afraid. Peter Pettigrew went after Black when he found out, trying to avenge lily and James I assume. Unfortunately, Black was too skilled for him, murdered him leaving only a single finger and obliterating 12 Muggles too. Aurors found and arrested him at the scene, while he laughed hysterically. He's been sent to Azkaban for life without a trial."

Remus composed himself and looked up at Dumbledore "What about Harry, you never mentioned Harry? And what's happening to Cassiopeia? Sirius brought her here last night, insisting I took her in but didn't ever say why."

"Harry's fine, I've taken care of it. It's true what they're saying, you know, he did conquer Voldemort - no idea how but I'm working on that. Oh, and as for Cassiopeia I thought it obvious. You are her godfather - aren't you?"

"Well yes, but I couldn't possibly look after a child! What about my condition? I could hurt her, and I don't have enough money to keep her happy!"

"I'm sure you'll work it out, my boy. There's no other option! Maybe speak with Augusta Longbottom, she's got Alice and Franks' boy after..." Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I'm sure she'd have some tips on parenting, anyway! Again, my condolences for your losses. I must be off now, goodbye!"

❾¾

A small voice brought Remus out of his thoughts. "Moony?"

Turning around he saw the tear-stained face of his goddaughter.

"Yeah Cassie?"

"Where's daddy?"

His heart broke for the girl, so young yet such sorrow haunted her. How was he supposed to explain this to a child?

"He's gone away." Remus stated gently.

"Where? Why couldn't I go too? What about Harry? And why did bad man hurt Prongsie and Auntie Lily?" She questioned panicking.

"Wow, slow down Pawslette!" He knelt down eye level with the girl.

"Padfoot did something bad so he had to be taken far away so he wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Will he be back?"

"I don't know, but it's okay 'cause you've got me and I'm not going anywhere!" Cassie nodded mutely. 

"Harry's fine but I don't know where Dumbledore has taken him." 

"Can we go see him? Please Moony, he gets scared. I got to be there!"

Remus shook his head regretfully, "I don't think so Pup."

Cassiopeia turned, pouting with tears glistening in her grey eyes, about to leave the room.

"Wait, how did you know about Lily and James?" he asked softly.

"I was there." she muttered, eyes to the ground.

"You were there?"

"Yeah, daddy had work so I played with Harry. We played dress-up and Auntie Lily did my hair. then we had hot chocolate and watched Bambi. But then bad man came." she explained, tears rolling down her cheeks towards the end.

"What happened then?" Remus questioned pulling her into a hug.

"We went up, then Prongsie went all quiet downstairs. No wands. And I was in the clothes thing when bad man came. There was a green light and then he wasn't there anymore. Auntie Lily was asleep, and Harry had a cut but then daddy came and got me. A big hairy man took Harry though." she said through tears.

"It's okay baby. You're safe now."

"They're not coming back are they, Auntie Lily and Prongsie?"

Remus sighed, a tear rolling down his cheek "No baby girl, they're not."

❾¾


	4. The Ghost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Where the Watermelons Rot by Madelynne Whitt

"You really shouldn't do that." warned a bored voice.

Cassie jumped not recognising the voice or knowing anyone else was in the room.

"Who are you?" she questioned turning around.

"Ouch, brother dearest didn't even tell you about me - the man wounds me." he says shaking his head. "The names Regulus, Regulus Black. Your uncle."

"I don't have an uncle." she says turning back around to continue packing her bag.

"Well, you do, I'm just dead. Hey, I thought I said to stop that."

"No, you're not I can see you." she retorts growing frustrated with her bad as she tries to fit everything in.

"Whatever you say, midget. Where are you running off to anyway? It's late and you're like two."

"Harry." is all she says as she puts on her backpack and heads out the door as her godfather sleeps.

As she opens the cottage door Regulus speaks up again "Who's Harry?"

"My friend."

"Do you know where he is?"

"No, I'll ask the bus driver." she states simply.

"That won't work!" Regulus says as they reach the bus stop up the road.

"Shh!" 

"Rude!" Regulus mutters but stays quiet none the less.

Sat in the bus stop shelter she starts to fall asleep, exhaustion creeping up on her. The last thing she sees is a blanket being floated onto her and Regulus shaking his head in exasperation.

❾¾

There was something about the quiet that morning that panicked Remus. Silence was an unfamiliar sound to him after the week he had spent with the talkative toddler who was nowhere to be seen. 

Walking out of his bedroom Remus was greeted to an open door and a squiggly note that he just about made out to say 'Harry'. Dread set in his bones as he quickly threw some clothes on and dashed out the door.

Remembering how she had asked about the bus stop a few days prior he rushed there and saw her asleep in it. Relief flooded him and he made a mental note to keep the door locked from now on.

"Cassie." he gently shook her awake.

Confused and groggy she opened her eyes. "Remus? Where's Harry?"

"Cassiopeia Lupus Black do you know how worried I've been. Never do that again! Alone outside in the dark, honestly." Remus says hugging her tightly.

"What do you mean alone? I'm not alone Uncle Reggie is right there." she asked in confusion, pointing to the corner where Regulus was stood.

Regulus openly facepalms.

"I told you I'm dead!"

Remus looked at her worriedly assuming she was hallucinating and wondering how on earth she knew who Regulus was.

"Let's just go back home, okay?" He says picking her things up and holding her hand.

❾¾

While Cassie napped Remus floo-called Madam Pomfrey for advice over what she had said and agreed to floo over and have her examined, just to be safe.

So, there they were, Remus and Cassie sat on a bed in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Regulus sat in a seat next to the bed shaking his head as she watched him inquisitively. Noticing something had drawn her attention, Remus looked at her.

"You okay Pup?"

"Yep, just watching Reggie."

The response caused Remus to worry again and wish he hadn't said anything but was saved from saying anything else as Madam Pomfrey was making her way over to them.

"So, you must be Miss Black." the nurse said looking at the girl. "Do you know why you're here?" 

"'Cause Moony thinks I'm crazy 'cause I told him about seeing Uncle Reggie." she said simply.

"I don't think you're crazy, Pup, I'm just worried."

"Same thing."

"She's quite talkative for a two-year-old." Madam Pomfrey states.

"Always has been Poppy." Remus shrugged.

"Now, Miss Black, are you aware that Regulus black is-"

"-Dead, I know everyone keeps telling me that."

Regulus burst out laughing at the stubborn girl. "I think I might actually like you kid."

"Cassiopeia don't be rude!"

"Sorry" she mutters not looking very sorry at all.

"Okay, I'll just do some tests then send you on your way." the nurse says looking reassuringly at Remus.

❾¾

"A seer? You're sure?"

"Yes, Mr Lupin, that's what I said. It was most likely brought out by the trauma. She should be fine, just might be a little drained from time to time with how fast it was brought on."

"So, she really _can_ see Regulus Black?"

"Yes, Mr Lupin, I'm done so you can go home now."

"Oh, okay. Thanks Poppy." he says unsurely.

"You really freaked him out kid," Regulus laughs. "this is going to be fun! Just wait until you start having visions, He'll end up with an aneurism." 

"An anya what?"

"Never mind."

❾¾


	5. The Malfoys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Addams Family Theme by HeathisHuman

"Moony!"

"Yeah Pup."

"Uncle Reggie says someone called 'Cissa' is here?"

'Who's Cissa?' Remus wondered. Not a second later there was a knock.

"Told you so." Regulus exclaimed.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "And I'm the two-year-old?"

Remus shook his head and got up heading for the door - he was still getting used to her having conversations with someone he couldn't see nor hear.

❾¾

Hesitantly, he opened the door.

"Finally, I was beginning to wonder if you weren't in." the woman said.

Narcissa Malfoy nee. Black. An air of privilege surrounded her as she stood there, the definition of regal.

Tall and slim with arrogant good looks she was model worthy. Piercing blue eyes complimented her pale complexion and a half-black, half-blond clavi cut with side-swept bangs framed her face.

She was a woman who clearly commanded respect and wouldn't take no for an answer. She was looking at Remus expectantly.

"Umm, come in?"

She nodded and entered the small cottage.

"So, where is she?"

"Who?"

"Oh, don't be obtuse! Sirius' girl of course." Narcissa said irritably.

"In the living room, why?"

Narcissa ignored him and headed to where she assumed the living room was.  
  


❾¾  
  


Cassie peered out of the window nosily, inspecting the unexpected visitor.

"She's Pretty"

"She is," Regulus said amusedly. "she can be dead scary though."

"Why do you think she's here?" 

"For you probably." Regulus stated.

"Why, what did I do?" Cassie asked worriedly, trying to figure out what she might have done to offend the woman.

"Nothing, she's family."

"Oh. But what if she doesn't like me?"

"Just use your manners and maybe compliment her." Regulus instructed.

"So, I just need to be polite and tell her she's pretty?" Cassie asked looking at Regulus expectantly.

"Yeah, Cissa likes to look tough just make a good impression and you'll be fine!" Regulus replied to the anxious child.

"Okay." she said determinedly.   
  


❾¾  
  


Cassie sat on the sofa watching the door expectantly and yet still jumped when the door swung open revealing the goddess that was Narcissa.

"So, you must be the girl everyone's been telling me about. I'm Narcissa but you can call me Cissa" the woman said gently.

"I'm Cassiopeia but you can call me Cassie." she said quietly shaking Cissa's hand. "You're very Pretty."

Cissa laughed "Thank you, dear. So are you."  
  


❾¾

Baffled, Remus walked into the living room a few minutes later.

"So, umm, Narcissa why are you here?" Remus asked as Cassie ran off to go play in the garden.

Narcissa turned to Remus "I have a proposition to make."

"A proposition?"

"Yes, Cassiopeia is family, and I would like to get to know her more. Watch her grow up and have her meet Lucius and my son Draco."

"I don't know." Remus said unsurely remembering what Sirius had said about his family in school.

"You don't understand, I was being polite when I said a 'proposition'. You don't actually have a choice."

"I'm her guardian, of course I have a choice!"

"Not if I challenge your custody. I wonder who would get chosen: a poor half-blood werewolf or a wealthy, Sacred 28 family with strong ties to the ministry." Remus paled.

"It would also benefit you of course." she continued.

"How?"

"Well, haven't you thought about childcare for full moons?"

Remus inwardly cursed himself - no he hadn't thought about that yet.

"And to think I was under the impression you were the smart one of your little group." she stated disappointedly when she got no answer. 

"I must be going anyway. I shall be back on the 10th and return her on the 15th so you have some rest - oh and there is no need to pack her anything I think we shall go shopping." She stated peering round the cottage in mild disgust.

❾¾

The week progressed far more quickly than Remus appreciated and soon enough it was the day before the full moon.

"You promise you'll be good?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine Moony."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Uncle Reggie says their nice, he went and visited them earlier."

"Okay." he sighed, not reassured at all.

❾¾

"She's in the garden?"

"Yes, are you sure you'll be okay to have her?" Remus questioned for the tenth time worriedly.

"I wouldn't have offered if I weren't." Narcissa stated impatiently.

"I know but she can be quite a lot to deal with when overwhelmed and she's never been to your house before."

"She'll be fine."

❾¾

Cassie was just feeding the wild rabbits that lived in the fields behind her house while chatting aimlessly to Regulus when Narcissa arrived to collect her.

"Cassie!" Remus called startling her.

"Coming!" She shouted back, dusting the mud of off her grass-stained dungarees.

"You promise they're nice?" She asked, giving Regulus a pointed look.

"Yes, you'll be fine." he reassured.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

❾¾

Nervously Cassie went inside, approaching the adults cautiously.

"There you are Cassie, ready to go?" Cissa asked gently.

She looked to Regulus who nodded at her encouragingly. 

"Yep."

Remus knelt down to her height and enveloped her in a hug.

"You'll be back before you know it, Pup." he whispered.

She only clung to him tighter.

Remus pulled away kissing her forehead lightly.

"See you soon, be good!"

"Okay." she nodded. "Bye Moony."

She held Narcissa's hand walking out of the cottage, waving to Remus until she could no longer see him and was swiftly apparated away.

❾¾

"Okay Cassie, we're here."

Cassiopeia gasped looking at the huge manor in front of her.

"It's like a castle!"

Narcissa chuckled at the little girl's reaction.

"Come along, I've got someone I want you to meet.

❾¾

Draco stood bouncing on his heels by his father at the entrance of the manor awaiting his mother and their guest.

"Stand still Draco, they'll be here soon." Lucius ordered.

Draco pouted but obeyed and sure enough the door opened moments later.

"Cassie, this is Lucius and Draco." Narcissa introduced.

"I'm Cassiopeia." She greeted shyly.

She shook both their hands.

"Dinner will be ready soon why don't you and Draco go to his room for a little while." Narcissa suggested.

"Okay." Draco nodded grabbing Cassie's hand and bringing her to his room.

❾¾

"Your house is huge!" Cassie exclaimed.

Draco hummed in agreement, searching for something.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Found it!" He said triumphantly.

"Watch this." 

He closed his curtains then winded up the globe in his hands and suddenly the ceiling was adorned with constellations.

"Wow!"

"That one's you, and that's me." He pointed to the Cassiopeia and Draco constellations.

"You're the Dragon star!" she giggled laying down next to him on the floor to stargaze.

"I think I'll call you Star." Draco decided suddenly after a while of them laying in silence observing the stars.

"Then I'll call you Dragon."

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note
> 
> I know that this isn't really how toddlers talk but I couldn't bring myself to make them sound like toddlers. Their just really smart, okay? This is the last chapter of them being really little anyway so it's fine.


	6. The Longbottoms and Tonks'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: This House is a Circus by Arctic Monkeys

"Cassie, get up! We've got to be at Neville's in 30 minutes." Remus called from the living room.

Groaning, Cassiopeia got up from her bed and started to get dressed. 

It had been over seven years since Cassie was first dropped off at Lupin Cottage on that fateful October night and she was now 9 years old. She knew about her father but couldn't really remember much of him. Her memories were filled with less traumatic times: like picnics with Draco in the fields surrounding the cottage, shopping trips with Narcissa, learning how to ride a broom with Lucius, learning how to ride a bike with Remus and lunches with the Longbottoms or the Tonks.

That's where she was going now, the Longbottom's, they were a having a small gathering for Neville's birthday.

"I'm ready!" she called to Remus while slipping on her shoes.

"Took you long enough." a voice said in her ear, startling her so she fell on her face.

"Tío Reg!" she chastised, dusting herself off. **~tío means uncle~**

Remus burst out laughing from his spot by the door.

"Don't encourage him Moony!" she warned.

Regulus walked over to where Remus stood looking rather proud of himself.

"I'm a ghost that only you can see, how else am I supposed to entertain myself?"

Cassie just rolled her eyes at him.

"I can't believe he can still scare you after all this time." Remus chuckled.

"I don't know but it seems to amuse you two _children_ immensely." she sighed.

"Come on Pup, to the floo." Remus directed.

She followed him to the fireplace then turned around to face Regulus.

"You're not coming." she said pointedly. "After that stunt I refuse to let you, go stalk someone else."

Remus watched her amused, having gotten over how strange it was to see Cassie seemingly arguing with the air long ago.

"You can't stop me." Regulus stated sticking his tongue out childishly.

"No, but I can ignore you." she stated.

"No fair!" he argued.

She just shook her head at him exasperatedly muttering under her breath _"¡Estoy rodeada de niñas!_ " before getting some floo powder and flooing to Neville's. **~I'm surrounded by children!~**

❾¾

"Oh, good you're here. You're late we thought you simply weren't coming." stated Mrs Longbottom bluntly.

Augusta Longbottom was a very strict and judgmental person; she didn't dislike Cassiopeia she was just naturally sharp tongued and intimidating. She was tall, thin, bony, wore an old, sophisticated dress and to cover her grey hair a huge vulture hat - which Cassie had to stifle her laughter over when she imagined Narcissa's face if she saw the ghastly thing.

Cassie looked over to the clock, saw that she was exactly five seconds late and had to resist rolling her eyes at the woman just as Remus appeared behind her.

"My apologies Augusta, I simply forgot Neville's present and had to go back and grad it before we flooed over." said Remus, who was used to Mrs Longbottom's ways having met her many times even in his youth, from being friends with Frank while in Hogwarts.

"Alright then." she eyed Remus suspiciously.

"Why don't you go find Neville and give him his present." Remus suggested and Cassie eagerly left giving him a thankful look.

❾¾

"Happy birthday Nev!" she exclaimed happily, kissing his cheek and giving him his gift.

"Thanks Cassie." he said blushing.

"It's a notebook that automatically writes down everything you need to remember. Oh, and some chocolates frogs too." She explained.

"Cool!"

Cassiopeia stayed chatting with Neville for a couple more hours before leaving to have dinner at Andy's.

❾¾

"Wotcher Cassie, Mum's in the kitchen."

"Dora!" she yelled running at the sixteen-year-old, knocking her over by the force of her hug.

Nymphadora had been at Hogwarts (her fifth year) so Cassie hadn't seen her since Christmas and had been missing her terribly. There was around six years between them, but they were still close - like sisters.

"Wow, for a midget you have some strength." she teased.

"I may be short but at least I don't trip over my own shadow."

"That's it, better start running." Cassie squealed and started running as Dora ran after her laughing.

Remus stood by the floo shaking his head at the girls before heading to the kitchen to help Andromeda with the cooking.

❾¾

Several hours later saw all six of them - Ted, Andy, Remus, Cassie, Dora and Charlie, who had escaped his hectic house around an hour prior - sat at the table for dinner. Cassie, Charlie and Dora had just finished a rough quidditch match before getting called inside, which had left the teens a little worse for ware, and where being surprisingly quiet. 

Until...

"Remus what have you done to the sweet child I left after Christmas break?" Tonks asked accusingly.

Remus burst out laughing, "Whatever do you mean?"

"That, that _child_ isn't who I left behind Remus!"

"She's _vicious!"_ exclaimed Charlie sounding traumatised.

"She plays dirty. She plays like she's from the snake pit!"

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with Slytherins Nymphadora." Andromeda chimed in sounding offended.

"There is when they play like that!" Charlie shuddered.

Remus and Ted were laughing so hard tears were spilling from their eyes while Cassie silently sat there smirking with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Look at the face she's pulling! She looked like that while holding a beaters bat too, it was terrifying."

"Your both just mad you didn't score - even though you were both against me. That was just cruel by the way your both 16 and I'm not even 10 yet."

"You both went against her?" Andy asked sounding appalled.

Both Ted and Remus snorted at the fact they both lost to her.

"It really doesn't matter, mum."

"Yeah, she can definitely handle going against us - she's the one who nearly killed us!"

"Did I forget to mention Cissa convinced Luci to get some world cup quidditch players to mentor me and Draco over Easter?" she asked innocently.

 _"What?"_ Both teens screamed.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> My Spanish isn't amazing but I am currently learning it at school so it shouldn't be terrible, feel free to correct me if I am wrong. 
> 
> Both Cassie and Draco know Spanish because It's Cassie's heritage (from her surrogate mother) like Draco's is French so they learnt both languages but prefer to speak in Spanish - mostly because they don't know anyone who knows Spanish apart from their old tutor so they can talk without others being able to eavesdrop. 
> 
> (And because I know very little French, I did it in primary but was never good at it whereas I'm one of the top kids in top set Spanish at school and am taking it for my GCSE's)


	7. The Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Chocolate by the 1975

"Are you ready to go Cassie?" called Remus

"Yeah!" the ten-year-old shouted back grabbing her bag ready to leave.

"Are you sure you don't want to go, Moony?"

"Have you seen me dance Pup?" he laughed.

"You don't have to dance."

"You just go, I'll be fine on my own. I am the adult here you know."

"You don't act like it."

"Burnnnnnn." called Regulus from the corner.

Cassie turned to face him, "You can shut up. I will get the hoover on you, don't temp me."

"I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work."

"Nobody asked you, Moony."

He just chuckled at the girl holding out the floo powder.

"You're back on Sunday?"

"Yep. Prep today, Summer Ball tomorrow, home then dinner at Andy's Sunday and back at Cissa's on Friday for the full moon."

"Okay, see you Sunday Pup." he kissed her forehead lightly then ushered her to the floo.

"Bye Moony. Love you!"

"Love you too, Pup."

'Malfoy Manor' she called and suddenly she was gone.

❾¾

"Honey I'm home!" She called stepping out of the floo.

"Looks like there not here." teased Regulus.

"Oh, come of it, where are they really."

"Draco's in the garden."

"Thanks."

❾¾

"You know it's quite rude to not great your guests, Dragon."

"Star!" he ran to her tackling her to the ground in a hug.

"Wow, I know I'm amazing, but did you really have to knock me other? If my dress has grass-stains I'm sending Cissa after _you_." she warned laughing.

He stood then helped her up. "I didn't know you were coming yet."

"I assumed as much."

"Mum's in the kitchen bossing around the elves and stressing about tomorrow so Father has locked himself in his study."

"Lead the way Dragon, I haven't annoyed Luci in far too long."

Draco smirked grabbing her hand as they ran through the Manor.

❾¾

_"Did you see his face?"_

They were both in Cassie's bedroom in the Manor, backs against the door and on the floor. Tears where spilling from their eyes as the laughed, out of breath from running away from Lucius' study at the other side of the Manor.

Draco had distracted his father while Cassie took his wand then turned his hair lavender with a spell she'd found in one of Remus' books. They couldn't hold in their laughter at the scene and had ran once they saw the murderous glint in his eye when he caught his reflection, deciding to hide out in Cassie's room because they hardly ever came in there.

"It should come out of his hair in one wash but, oh Merlin, that was amazing!" she grinned.

"Did you get the photo?"

"Yep!" she held up a polaroid of the scene. "I'm going to get Dora to duplicate it for me on Sunday, I'll send you a copy."

"Recon it's safe to come out yet?"

"Nah, I think we call a house-elf and camp out in here until tomorrow."

"Good idea."

❾¾

"Come on you miscreants, it's time to get up." Narcissa called from the other side of the door.

Worrying Lucius would get his revenge in the night they had locked the door and put a chair underneath the door handle so he couldn't use 'alohomora' to get in.

"Coming Mum!" Draco yelled back.

Cautiously the children left the room and joined Narcissa to get ready for the ball.

❾¾

(^Narcissa, ^Cassiopeia and Pansy's dresses^)

Draco offered Cassie his arm as he led her to the top of the stairs ready to make an appearance at the ball. They would have been there half an hour ago, but Cassiopeia insisted they be 'fashionably late' to which Draco relented after a bribe of Pepper Imps.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Cassie accepted his arm and walked down the stairs to the ballroom, which had been brought to silence at their arrival. They walked towards a group of children their age, heads held high.

"Two galleons says we're already grounded for being late." Draco mutter upon seeing his mother's face in the crowd.

"I bet you 5 galleons that I can avoid her all night and still cause mayhem." Cassie offered a familiar glint in her eyes.

"You're on."

❾¾

"Pansy, Blaise." Draco greeted.

"Thank Salazar, I thought you were going to leave me stuck with Pansy all night." Blaise teased.

"You're just jealous I look better than you." Pansy smirked.

Pansy and Blaise had been friends with the duo for years due to their families arranging shared etiquette lessons and the four were really close.

"What blasphemy!" he exclaimed, "Have you heard the delusion she speaks of, Bellissima?"

"What an outrage!" Cassie dramatized.

"See Cassiopeia agrees, everyone strives to look as good as me." 

Draco rolled his eyes playfully. 

"Now we've all had our daily dose of Blaise's vanity," Blaise gasped in mock offense. "care to join our wager?"

❾¾

The quartet spent the majority of the night dancing, laughing and miraculously disappearing whenever they caught a glance of Narcissa. Blaise particularly enjoyed Cassie's talent of throwing subtle insults towards all the stuck-up purebloods whom she conversed with.

"It's all the inbreeding, I swear!" she laughed.

"And perhaps their inflated egos?" Pansy added.

"Most definitely, the insults just bounce right off of them." Cassie agreed.

"The music is ready, Cassie." Blaise whispered as Draco gave him a small nod. 

She smirked. _Oh, this was going to be fun._

❾¾

Cassiopeia had had this prank planned for a while now. She had found Remus' old records collection a few months prior and had found it was filled with mostly muggle music.

Now, it wasn't that she had wanted to ruin the ball, she knew how hard Narcissa worked to make them as perfect as possible. The issue was they made it so difficult for her to breathe. Between the stuck-up attitudes, inflated egos and death eater ideologies she couldn't _breathe_. 

So, with this in mind she hatched a plan. She had taken Remus' ABBA album and had the boys switch out the music so it would play next.

She grabbed Pansy's hand and led her to the dance floor.

"Ready for this, Parkinson?"

"You know it, Black!"

And so, the girls danced and sang their hearts out, despite the disapproving looks the shocked purebloods sent them. They even managed to get the boys to join in - that was until they saw an angry Narcissa headed there way.

"CASSIOPEIA LUPUS BLACK!"

"And for my final act, I shall disappear!" Cassie exclaimed running towards the fireplace, grabbing the record on her way.

"It was a lovely ball Cissa, such a shame I must leave! See you Friday Draco."

Cassie shouted 'Lupin Cottage' flooing away as Narcissa neared.

❾¾

A startled Remus Lupin fell off the sofa as an out of breath and giggling Cassiopeia collapsed onto the living room.

"I thought you were coming home tomorrow?"

"Surprise?"

"What did you do?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Something Dad would be proud of." she muttered a hint of sorrow in her voice.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing! But if an angry Narcissa appears tell her I've ran away and can't see her, okay?"

He just shook his head fondly at the girl who he had basically raised. The girl who always seemed to remind him a little too much of her father.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> This is a bit of a filler chapter, but I wanted to give Cassie a bit of interaction with Pansy and Blaise and give her a chance to show her mischievous side.


	8. The Hogwarts Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: My Tears Ricochet by Taylor Swift

**1st September 1990**

"Happy birthday!" Cassie awoke, surrounded by her family.

They were to have a small party together - Narcissa, Lucius, Draco, Cassie, Remus, Andromeda and Ted. Nymphadora would have been there but had to be on the Hogwarts Express by 11am for her final year so couldn't come, she had made sure to spend all the previous day with her instead.

While having all her family together was amazing, Cassie was much more excited about getting her Hogwarts letter than she was about any present.

Remus had listened to her going on and on about it for weeks now with a glimmer of guilt in his eyes that went undetected by Cassie.

She stayed up until midnight that day and yet she never got her letter.

❾¾

**23rd December 1990**

Cassie spent the day of Pansy's eleventh birthday in silent agony. Pansy had gotten her Hogwarts letter.

It wasn't that she wasn't happy for the girl. No, she was ecstatic for her, but she also felt something else she hadn't ever really felt before - jealousy.

Cassie still spent most nights wishing for her Hogwarts letter, hoping the owl had just gotten really lost and Remus still spent most nights guilt ridden seeing how upset she was over not getting the letter.

❾¾

**21st April 1991**

At this point Cassie had lost just about all hope in getting a letter, in ever attending Hogwarts.

It was Blaise's eleventh birthday and he too had gotten his letter. Not that he made a big deal about it, if fact he had tried not to mention it at all, but his mother had gone and announced it at dinner.

Blaise was one of the only ones who had seen how much not getting a letter was affecting her. He was always annoyingly perceptive like that.

It really did pain him to see her so upset - to the point where he had written to Dumbledore about her not receiving her letter, not that it made any difference.

The one thing he couldn't understand though was exactly why she didn't get one. He had seen her do magic, so she definitely wasn't a squib!

Why couldn't she go if she was perfectly capable able to do magic?

Blaise didn't know but he was determined to find out.

❾¾

**5th June 1991**

It was Draco's eleventh birthday and just about all joy left Cassiopeia's face as she caught a glimpse of his Hogwarts letter. By this point she had accepted the green-eyed monster that lived within her, but this was the final blow.

She was all fake smiles and false excitement that day, all self-loathing and jealousy inside her mind.

She was a horrible person. She knew she should be happy for Draco, but she just couldn't bring herself to be.

Her last sliver of hope had been snatched from her and she was distraught. Not only would she not be attending Hogwarts like she'd dreamed, but all her best friends would be, and she'd be left all alone.

Why was it she was always left alone?

❾¾

**30th July 1991**

Neville had gotten his letter - of course he had! Cassie was official alone and she knew it.

She had put all her hope in the idea that Neville wouldn't get his letter either. She knew it would be sad and he'd be disappointed but at least they'd go through it together. But no, the universe apparently had other plans.

So, that night Cassiopeia Lupus Black wept.

She wept for her loss of hope, she wept for her impending isolation and as she looked up to the starry night sky she wept for the brightest star. Sorrow filled her as she looked upon it, head filled with what ifs and forgotten dreams.

There was a Sirius shaped hole in Cassie's heart that, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fill. Sure, she loved Remus, he was definitely a hell of a lot closer to a dad than her own father was, but she couldn't help but mourn the family she could have had.

So, that night Cassiopeia Lupus Black also dreamt.

She dreamt of a life with her Father, her Moony, her Auntie Lily, her Prongsie and her Harry. She dreamt of a life without death and devastation, a life where Neville still had sane parents, a life without war.

So that night, despite everything, she slept with a content smile on her face.

❾¾

**31st August 1991**

It was a day before the Hogwarts express was set to take away her dreams, a single day until she would have to succumb to isolation and Cassiopeia Lupus Black had had enough.

She had spoken to Blaise the day before and found that he was just as clueless as she was to why she couldn't attend Hogwarts. It was simply unacceptable, and she decided she would go to Remus for answers - the man knew everything.

So, feeling adequately prepared after a ten-minute pep talk in the mirror, she set of in search of him and found him snaking in the kitchen within seconds.

"Moony?"

"Yeah, Pup?"

"Why didn't I get a Hogwarts letter?"

Remus audibly gulped.

"Oh no!" Regulus spoke from the corner of the room, he always seemed to know when to arrive in order to not miss any drama, but Cassie ignored him.

"You know something," she accused. "Spill!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liar."

"Fine, but you can't get upset."

"I'll decide my emotions when you tell me what you did Moony."

"It's for your own safety."

"Hurry up."

"I had a discussion with Professor Dumbledore."

"And?"

"We decided it would be best if you didn't join Hogwarts, at least not yet anyways."

Her jaw dropped.

"WHAT?"

"Cassie, you have to understand it's for your own good."

"Says who?"

"Me."

"And do I get a say in this?"

"I'm sorry Pup but it's the best decision."

 _"You don't get to decide that!"_ she said sharply.

"Come on, Pup." Remus pleaded.

" **YOU'RE NOT MY DAD!** "

Cassie's eyes widened as she realised what she just said, regret instantly replacing her anger as she saw Remus' expression drop.

"I know that Cassie, _he's_ the reason you can't go." he whispered.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at Remus, the man who had raised and cared for her while asking nothing in return.

"I didn't mean that Moony, I was just upset. I'm so so **so** **sorry.** " she cried.

Remus wrapped his arms around the small girl. "I know Pup, I know."

"I love you Moony, I'm really sorry."

"I love you too Pup."

And that's how they spent the rest of the day, snuggled up on the sofa in a blanket holding each other, both heartbroken but they had each other and that was all that mattered.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> This chapter upset me more than it should have I'm not going to lie but I thought it was important to show their relationship isn't perfect, no-ones is, and people make mistakes. I also thought it was important to show Cassie's emotion throughout because this was a difficult time for her.


	9. The Letters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Legend Lake by Miggie Snyder

"You will write to me, won't you?" Cassie begged.

"All the time, you'll be sick of seeing my owl!" Draco comforted.

"Okay, I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you too, but Christmas isn't that far away."

"I know, you'd better go the train leaves soon." Cassie hugged him fiercely blinking away tears. 

"Goodbye Star."

"See you soon Dragon."

Draco ran ahead to the train as she watched when suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"He'll be back before you know it Cassie." Lucius reassured.

"I just always thought I'd be going with him." 

"I know but it's safer this way and I'm sure he'll send you lots of letters."

Cassie nodded watching the train leave sorrowfully.

❾¾

Dear Cassiopeia,

Hogwarts is just as magnificent as we dreamed it, Pansy and Blaise send their love. We wish you were here, it's just not the same without you. 

I got sorted into Slytherin with Blaise and Pansy like we planned. And you'll never guess who I met, Harry Potter! He's a right git though. He rejected my handshake and made friends with a _Weasley_ over me - Can you imagine? Weaslebee laughed at my name so I defended myself and yet Potter sides with him? Preposterous! 

I must be going now; classes are about to start.

Lots of love, Dragon Xx

❾¾

Dear Draco,

I knew you'd get in Slytherin! Send my love to Blaise and Pansy for me. 

I'm glad you're enjoying Hogwarts. It's pretty boring here, your mum is supposed to be taking me out somewhere next week though and Moony's helped me bake some cookies earlier (There's some in the tin I sent for you to share with Blaise and Pansy). 

I'm sure you and Harry just got off on the wrong foot, but you're right that Weasley boy sound like a jerk. Are you sure you didn't do anything to offend him beforehand?

Write back soon, lots of love Star Xx

❾¾

Dear Cassiopeia,

How are you? I'm missing you terribly. Not much has happened since last week, except witnessing Dumbledore's blatant favouritism but according to father that's nothing new.

Do you remember how 1st years aren't allowed broomsticks or to be on house teams? Well Saint Potter has done both! He was caught on his broomstick - the details aren't important. But instead of being expelled he's become the youngest seeker in a century! It is simply unfair.

I must be going now it's almost lights out. Lots of love, Dragon Xx

❾¾

Dear Draco,

That truly is absurd! I don't get the house favouritisms, truly, it just feeds house rivalry that teachers claim they're above. Do try to keep yourself out of trouble! As for me I'm doing well, Narcissa is keeping me occupied. Being at the Manor isn't the same without you! 

Christmas can't come soon enough, Lots of love Star Xx

❾¾

Dear Cassiopeia,

I'm glad you're doing well. Pansy is unbearable without you - apparently Blaise and I aren't as good company as you are.

People say Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain, but I find that hard to believe. I mean, just yesterday there was a troll loose in the castle! A troll! Dumbledore sent us all back to our common rooms because it was said to be in the dungeons - but the Slytherin common room is in the dungeons! I swear Dumbledore is a fool. Luckily, the troll wasn't in the dungeons but in the girl's lavatory, so no-one got hurt.

Happy Halloween, Love Dragon Xx

❾¾

Dear Draco,

I'm sure Pansy is just being overdramatic; I happen to think you're all good company. 

As for the troll, well, I'm starting to think Dumbledore is as much as a blubbering idiot as Luci makes out him to be. I'm glad you're alright and please be safe.

With love, Star Xx

❾¾

Dear Cassiopeia,

I think you're right about Dumbledore, his age is probably making him senile - the old codger! Mum says you're staying at the Manor all Christmas I can't wait! I'm getting on the train soon, so I'll see you on the platform.

Love Dragon Xx

❾¾

Dear Cassiopeia,

Pansy says thank you for the Easter eggs and has asked me to tell you you're invited to France with her in the summer. I don't know why I'm suddenly her messenger, but there you go.

I would have written to you yesterday, but I had detention. What for you ask, well I'll tell you. It was all Potter's fault I saw him sneaking around to that oaf Hagrid's hut and followed him and you'd never guess what I saw - a dragon!

I went and told McGonagall and the old hag gave me a detention along with Potter, Granger and Neville (who got caught up in this whole mess). We had to serve detention in the forbidden forest all night. It was servant stuff, honestly Cassie.

I have to go, it's astronomy class tonight - you'd love the class honestly. 

Lots of love, Dragon Xx

❾¾

Dear Draco,

Tell Pansy thanks for the invite and I'll be sure to ask Remus later. Your detention sounded dreadful - though I disapprove of how you speak of Hagrid and Minnie, they're quite a nice people you know.

Astronomy does sound delightful and I do love the stars, but I'll just have to do with some midnight stargazing for now. I don't think I'll be joining you at Hogwarts anytime soon, unfortunately.

Lots of love, Star Xx

❾¾

Dear Cassiopeia,

I simply cannot wait to see you; Mother says we're going with you and Pansy to France for the summer. I've just finished packing to get on the train tomorrow - Hogwarts is great but I'm excited to go home.

We had the grand feast earlier; all was great with Slytherin set to win. Then Dumbledore stands up and awards them over 100 points because 'Oh, Potter was so brave and Weaslebee played a great game of chess' it's horrible honestly!

I'll see you soon, with love Dragon Xx

❾¾


	10. The Basilisk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: If You Were There, Beware by Arctic Monkeys

"Do you have to go, Draco?"

"I'll be fine Cassie."

"You said that last year then there was the troll and the dragon and the Voldemort on the back of some guys head."

"I still think that last one was just a rumour to make Potter look good."

"I know you've only told me that a hundred times - honestly, I think you have an obsession."

"I am not obsessed with Saint Potter and to imply as much is an insult."

"Whatever you say Dragon. Just promise you'll be safe?" Cassie pleaded holding up her pinkie.

"Seriously?" Draco looked at her in disbelief.

"Pinkie swear or I'll tell Pansy and Blaise about your obsession with Potter - Hell, I'll find a way to owl Potter and tell him myself!"

"Really?" he sighs exasperatedly.

"It's unhealthy Draco, I know your jealous but jeez."

"Fine." he relented sticking out his pinkie.

"That's all I wanted. Now really, please stay safe."

"I will, I have to go now I'll see you in the summer? Father says I'm staying at Hogwarts this Christmas." he whispered hugging her tightly.

"Oh, okay." she muttered disappointedly.

"Goodbye Star, try not to miss me too much."

"Bye Dragon." 

Cassie watched dejectedly as the train left taking her best friends with it while she was stuck at home for another year.   
  


❾¾  
  


Dear Cassiopeia,

You'd never guess what Dumbledore has done this time! Potter and Weaslebee missed the train and were so pathetically dim-witted that they thought they'd take a flying car to Hogwarts, which they crashed into the Whomping Willow (Hogwarts resident murder tree).

Professor Snape was livid and wanted them expelled but Dumbledore let McGonagall handle them, so they only got detention! Detention when they were seen by no less than seven muggles.

Weaslebee got a right howler from is mum though. It was terrific, his face was redder than his hair! 

I've got to go to breakfast now, Blaise is harassing me. 

Love Dragon Xx  
  


❾¾  
  


Dear Draco,

Dumbledore really has some authority issues overwriting law like that - I swear what they did was illegal. I bet Snape was beside himself with rage.

Enough about that though, how did the try-outs for a seeker go? I was out with Lucius earlier and he told me if you make it, he'll get us custom nimbus 2001's and donated some more to the rest of the Slytherin team - they're not even out to buy yet but Luci says he 'has his ways' to get them! I wish you the best of look. 

Love Star Xx  
  


❾¾  
  


Dear Cassiopeia,

I got on the team! Father sent over the brooms yesterday and I was going out for practice this morning but then Potter, Granger and their pet weasel got in our way. Granger said I only got on the team because Father bribed them. That's not true - is it?

Star, be honest, is that what you think of me? Am I just a spoiled brat? Did I just get on the team because of Father's influences?

I need you Star, I'm missing you terribly. Lots of love Dragon Xx  
  


❾¾  
  


"You don't understand Luci he _needs_ me right now. Dragon needs me so I need you to take me to him."

"Cassie I cannot take you to Hogwarts."

"Yes, you can! You are capable of apparating, are you not?"

"You know it's not that simple Cassie."

"But it is! Draco needs me and you're the quickest way to get there! I need 5 minutes at the most. Please Luci, for me? For Draco?"

"No Cassie! Don't look at me like that it's simply not allowed - and not to mention Lupin would have my head if I brought you there!"

"I don't care what Remus thinks I need to go. He's devastated Luci, devastated and he needs me."

"Calm down."

"No, I will not Calm down. Lucius Abraxas Malfoy I am _begging_ you - I'm his cousin and his best friend he needs me, so I need to be there for him. I swear to Salazar Slytherin himself if you do not take me to him, I will find a way to get there myself. Hell, I'll use the Knight Bus if I have to."

"You wouldn't!"

"Are you willing to bet on it Lucius?"

When he doesn't reply she smirks "I'll be waiting by the door, you have 5 minutes before I call the Knight Bus." 

Narcissa looked at Lucius chuckling "She sure knows how to get what she wants."

He sighs shaking his head "I swear she'll be the death of me. Did you hear her call me by my full name?"

"She's a passionate girl and I thought it was a lovely touch, showed you she was in charge. I do wonder what is so wrong with Draco though, she seems very concerned."

"Yes well, it best be concerning. She can be the one to explain to Lupin why she had to go to Hogwarts."

"I'm sure he won't be too hard on her, she has you all wrapped around her little finger. I'm surprised you even lasted as long as you did just then." 

"I best be going before she actually calls the Knight Bus - Lupin would definitely have my head then."   
  


❾¾  
  


"Don't make a habit of this Cassiopeia." Lucius muttered as the appeared in front of Hogwarts.

"Wouldn't dream of it Luci, I'm just glad you saw reason. Now, Draco will be in the common room?"

"I assume so, do you need me to show you where it is?"

"No, I'm fine Blaise and Pansy should be waiting for me at the entrance."

"Okay I shall be at Hogsmeade and be back in half an hour, agreed?"

"Yep."  
  


❾¾  
  


"Hey stranger." Pansy exclaimed

"Ciao Bellissima, you look well." Blaise greeted.

"Blaise, Pansy!" She tackled them into a hug. "I've missed you both."

"We've missed you too, now let's get go find Draco so you can fix him." Pansy commanded running ahead.

"How bad is it." she asked walking along with Blaise.

"He's locked himself in his room and refuses to see anyone." Blaise stated regretfully.

"This really isn't how I imagined first seeing Hogwarts." Cassie sighed.

"How did you even manage to get Lucius to fetch you here, hadn't Remus forbidden it?" Pansy recalled.

"Begging and Shouting when he wouldn't agree. You should have seen his face when I called him 'Lucius Abraxas Malfoy'." they all laughed.

"'Parseltongue' Come on, he's just up here." Blaise led the way up the stairs.  
  


❾¾  
  


Cassiopeia knocked softly on Draco's door.

"Draco?"

The door opened slowly.

"Star?" he asked quietly.

She entered the room closing the door behind her.

"What did they do to you Dragon?"

Draco met her eyes tears glistening in his own.

"What have I become Star?"

She rushed forward and enveloped him in a hug.

"Shhh. You're okay Dragon. I'm here."

"They think I'm just a spoiled brat Star, that I only get things because of Father."

"And they're wrong, I know it and Blaise knows it and Pansy knows and _you_ know it!"

"But what if they're not wrong Star?"

"They are wrong. Don't lower yourself worth for anyone Dragon. Come on, would I be here if it were true. I had to shout at your dad for him to bring me here you know."

Draco turned to look at her with wide eyes "Oh Merlin, Star! You didn't have to come all this way. What will Remus say, you know he forbid you from coming here. I was selfish I should have known you would come. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, hey! Slow down. You'd do the same for me if you were in my position and besides, I'm only here for about 20 more minutes it's fine.

"I missed you Star."

"I missed you too Dragon. Now, how about you calm down then show me around. We can use my last bit of freedom before Remus grounds me for life."

"Deal."  
  


❾¾  
  


"I trust you've sorted the issue?" Lucius drawled.

"Yep, It's all good. Now can we please go to Honey Dukes? I need to buy Remus some chocolate, so he won't put me on house arrest."   
  


❾¾  
  


Dear Cassiopeia,

I promised you that I'd let you know what's happening around school but I didn't want you to freak out, so I put off telling you. Please don't be mad for keeping it from my letters, okay?

On Halloween there was a petrification of Filch's cat along with a message in blood on the wall claiming the chamber of secrets had been opened but now many students have also been petrified and I'm a little scared if I'm honest.

We're not allowed out except to lessons and have to be escorted to them. I'll try and stay safe so will Blaise and Pansy so don't worry too much.

Lots of love Dragon Xx  
  


❾¾  
  


Dear Draco,

First of all, for the love of Salazar what did I say about telling me things. You should have told me straight away.

Secondly, please, please, please keep each other safe! I can't bear to think what would happen if any of you got hurt.

Self-preservation and taking care of our own remember!

Stay safe, love Star Xx  
  


❾¾  
  


"Lucius!"

"What have I done this time Cassiopeia?"

"Why on earth wasn't I told Draco was at threat of being attacked imminently?"

"Ah, I see Draco finally manned up and told you about the chamber."

"Does Cissa know about this? Why is he still in the school right now?"

"Because he is a pureblood so isn't under threat."

"You do not know that Luci."

"Yes, I do it is only the filth who will be harmed."

"Filth? Really Lucius?"

"Did I say something wrong?"

"You know the pureblood supremacy is really getting old!"

"It is simply the way of life Cassie."

"No, it isn't and you know it! You're going to corrupt Draco and lead to both your ruins."

"Where are you going?"

"Home until you sort out your priorities!" 

"My priorities?"

"Yes. In case you've forgotten while I may be a pureblood Remus is a half-blood werewolf, Auntie Lily was a muggleborn, Prongs was a blood-traitor and even tío Reg realised the error of his ways and reformed before he died! He's disappointed in you by the way - he's sat in the chair next to you shaking his head and insulting you right now."

"Oh, come on Cassie, calm down. You know I wasn't talking about you and quite frankly Regulus is being a hypocrite."

"He isn't and I don't care if you didn't mean me, now would you mind telling Narcissa I've gone home while you grow up and that she'll have to come by the cottage to pick me up for shopping tomorrow? Thanks."

She stepped in the fireplace, anger radiating off of her. 'Lupin Cottage' she said throwing down the floo powder.  
  


❾¾  
  


Dear Cassiopeia,

Everyone has been unpetrified and end of year exams were cancelled! I hope you're doing okay, I heard you still haven't forgiven Father. It's killing him, mum says she thinks he's close to literally dropping on his knees and begging you to forgive him.

I hope you'll still come to the platform; I miss you!

With love, Dragon Xx  
  


❾¾


	11. The Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Hey little girl (live) by sophiemarie.b

"You came!"

"Of course, I did. You're more important than Lucius's bigotry."

"You've still not forgiven him then?"

"No."

"You'll have to eventually."

"Eventually is not now. Come on, we need to get back to the Manor."

❾¾

They flooed back to the Manor and head up to their wing to talk, Cassie kissing Narcissa on the cheek but walking straight passed Lucius without a second glance.

"So, what did father do? Mother never said in her letters, just that you had a disagreement." Draco asked curiously sitting down in their lounge.

"He refused to pull you out of school saying only the filth would get hurt."

"Well, he was right."

 _"Draco!"_ she reprimanded.

"Not about the 'filth' thing - merlin woman do you have no faith in me? I meant about me not getting hurt."

"That doesn't make it any better."

"I know but I'm okay Cassie - Star look at me, I'm fine!"

"But what if you weren't?" Cassie trembled.

"But I am Star, I'm not going anywhere!" he quickly went and sat next to her, hugged her tightly to his chest.

"But you could have been gone Dragon, I can't lose you!"

"You're not going to Star." he said firmly.

"But I could have, all because he's too stuck in his discriminatory ways."

"And we'll speak to him about that but first let's make sure you're okay."

Cassie nodded wordlessly trying to calm herself down, stray teardrops caught in her lashes.

❾¾

"I really messed up, didn't I?" Lucius sighed watching Cassie leave without even looking at him.

"Yep." Narcissa nodded in agreement.

"You're supposed to try and make me feel better not worse."

"Why should I? It's your mess not mine, you were rude and offensive - that's no-one's fault but your own!"

"I didn't think she'd blow it this far out of proportion - she hasn't spoken to me in weeks!"

"Don't act like the victim here Lucius, you're the one at fault not Cassie! It was bound to happen eventually."

"What was?"

"Her getting fed up with your views and putting you in your place. Have you even tried to apologies?"

"Of course, I have!"

"I don't mean saying you're sorry she got upset, I mean apologise for your action and educate yourself Lucius. I love you, but you're views. They are prehistoric! You know full well that blood status doesn't mean anything other than privilege now."

"What about the Dark Lord Narcissa? There are rumours he's rising again."

"I assumed as much with what happened at the school, don't act all innocent I know you were involved in it. But do you really think the Dark Lord is worth losing Cassie and Draco over? Don't kid yourself Lucius, Cassiopeia will not side with and therefore neither will Draco. Besides, he'd want Draco to become a death eater and I won't allow it - would you really want that life for him? You saw how it destroyed Regulus!"

"We would have safety with the Dark Lord and Draco is a strong boy he could handle it."

"Exactly Lucius he's a boy, just a boy. He should have a choice in this, Cassie is right you continue this, and you'll destroy him. You know he seeks your approval and praise but not above hers. She means the world to Draco as he does to her. They're family Luci, our family and I won't let you corrupt them."

"I know that Narcissa, I'm only trying to do what's best for all of us."

"Well try harder, I'm going to go check on the kids. Cassie looked distraught when Draco led her upstairs - I think being apart from Draco for so long coupled with the worry of the attacks really affected her."

❾¾

Narcissa walked into the kids lounge immediately met with the sight of a sleeping tear-stained Cassie cuddled up to a worrisome Draco who was stroking her hair deep in thought.

She cleared her throat softly and Draco turned his head and nodded at her in greeting.

"How is she dear?"

"Exhausted and panicked, she just kept saying she thought she was going to lose me."

"Bless her, she hasn't really been here since her fight with your father, but Remus told me she hasn't been sleeping well."

"Father really messed up this time. I think it's going to take a lot for her to forgive him."

"He'll cope. It might do him well, Merlin knows he could do with being knocked down a few pegs."

"He really needs to think before he speaks! I know he's stuck in his ways, but I don't think Cassie will tolerate it much more. And honestly, I don't blame her his ignorance on the topic of muggleborns is astounding - he makes them out to be lesser but it's just untrue. I mean take Granger for example; I might not like her but there's no use denying how smart she is. She's top of the class in all subjects except potions and even then, I only just beat her."

"You know how your father is Draco, there's just no telling him. I've got an idea, once Cassie wakes up how about you go to the cottage. A bit of flying might cheer her up and I'm sure Remus will be happy to see you."

"Sounds like a good idea mum, can you ask the elves to put some food and a blanket together? It's nice out so we could have a picnic in the field."

"Of course dear." Narcissa kissed his forehead affectionately before leaving the room.

❾¾

"Remus?" Draco called out dusting himself off from the floo.

"Draco, good Godric you've grown, it's nice to see you again. How are you?"

"I'm fine, it's good to see you too. The elves got some chocolate for you." Draco said handing over the stash. "Me and Cassie are just going to go out flying and have a picnic, that okay with you?"

"Sure, just be back before dark."

"Okay."

"See you later Moony." Cassie called following Draco out.

❾¾

The duo returned to the cottage at around 6 in the evening and were greeted not only by Remus but Narcissa and Lucius as well.

"Mother? Father? What are you doing here?"

"Your Father insisted I accompany him here; he wants to speak to Cassie."

"Cassiopeia, may I have a word?"

"Fine." she agreed begrudgingly. 

❾¾

"I would like to apologies."

"Go on then."

"I'm sorry for my actions Cassie. I was rude and it was uncalled for."

"And?" Cassie ushered him to continue.

"And it was unfair of me to call none purebloods filth."

"And?"

"And I'll do better in the future to be more mindful of these things."

"And?"

"And I shouldn't have been so ignorant with my regard to muggleborns."

"And?"

"And I shouldn't have insulted Regulus."

"I can't believe you actually managed to get him to apologise for that, I should have more faith in you!" Regulus stated - appearing to the side of her in such a sudden way that it would have made her jump had she not been so accustomed to his random appearances - as he observed the interaction, amusement clear on his face.

"And?"

"You're killing me here woman! I'm just really sorry, okay?"

"You missed the fact that you were a massive prat but, for you Luci, I'll let it slide." she smirked. "You're forgiven but I shall not forget this so don't make the same mistake!"

"I expect nothing less Cassie. Does this mean you'll stop ignoring me now?"

"I suppose." Cassie laughed.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> That's it for Cassie's childhood! PoA is next hope everyone enjoyed Cassie's life pre-Hogwarts. (My writing starts to get better from here don't worry!)


	12. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people are just born with tragedy in their blood and it just so happened that they were both some people.
> 
> Koi no yokan:  
> (n.) The extraordinary sense upon first meeting someone, that you will one day fall in love.
> 
> Two children of prophecies are reunited, but reunions aren't always welcomed.
> 
> "He is my father, but I don't know him."
> 
> Demons will be fought; prejudice will be faced, and trust will be earnt.
> 
> "Be careful of that g i r l there's a fire burning before her eyes. She makes k i n g d o m s f a l l - and monsters wish they'd never been b o r n ."
> 
> Love will be learnt, and loyalty will grow.
> 
> Those eyes of yours could swallow Stars, Galaxies and Universes. What hope did I ever have?
> 
> But in the end will any of it matter?
> 
> My heart is telling me to scream, my brain is telling me to cry. And yet, I still smile.
> 
> I guess the question is - Can fate be changed without consequence?
> 
> "Foolish child, thinking the Stain of your Sins could be washed away by your tears."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Summer Depression by Girl in Red

The house was quiet Cassie noticed, much too quiet. The quiet unnerved her. She had always despised silence, it brought along thoughts much too loud to ignore. She much preferred background noise, forever listening to music and surrounding herself with people. 

"The only time it's acceptable to be quiet is when stargazing," she'd say." but even then, it isn't silent, not really. For the stars each old their own stories that they are eager to tell and the moon has far too many secrets to share."

She swore the night sky, and her music were the only things that brought her complete piece of mind, serenity like no other.

Today in particular though, the silence was peculiar.

It had been over a month since Draco came back for the summer and when Draco was home it was never quiet.

As she walked around the cottage, she also noticed Draco's unusual absence that morning. Worried about her and guilt ridden for leaving her for so long he'd decided he would visit her every morning - so, where was he?

After further inspection she also found the floo was closed, the doors and windows were locked, all curtains were drawn and Remus was pacing in the living room, his discarded Daily Profit on the coffee table face down.

"Any idea why he's like this?" she murmured to Regulus.

"Too many, each one worse than the last. Can you handle this one on your own, Cassie? I have to go check on something."

"Sure?" she answered, curious to if the day could get any weirder.

"Oh, Cassie you're up." Remus said, sounding glum and looking slightly frantic. "Sit down, there's something I need to tell you Pup."

❾¾

"He escaped?"

"I don't know how Pup, but yes, he did."

"He escaped Azkaban. As in the inescapable, dementor filled Azkaban?"

"Yes, he has escaped."

Cassiopeia nodded mutely, still absorbing the information before her.

"You okay, Pup?" Remus asked gently.

Again, she only nodded, the sparkle gone from her stormy grey eyes.

"Can I see the article?" she asked meekly.

Wordlessly he handed her the newspaper, observing as she read the page with glossy eyes.

Abruptly, she stood up muttering "Estoy bien, estoy segura, solo necesito calmarme." and walked to her room. **~I'm fine, I'm safe, I just need to calm down~**

As she closed her bedroom door tears slid down her face and for once she didn't turn her music on. Instead, she picked up a book: hoping to forget her reality, hoping to find comfort in the familiar pages.

❾¾

It wasn't until a few days later that she had another full conversation, still haunted by the news.

"Moony?"

"Yeah, Pup?"

"Can, umm, can we go see them?"

"Who?"

"Auntie Lily and Prongs."

"I don't know, it's dangerous."

"Please, Auntie Alice and Uncle Frank too?"

"It's not safe, Pup."

"But it's his fault. He's the reason we can't go out, he's the reason they're dead, he's the reason they didn't get to raise Neville! He's gone but we're still living the consequences. I need to see them, please?

Cassiopeia gave him puppy eyes and his heart broke, 'She looks so much like him' he thought.

"Okay Pup, just go grab a jacket."

❾¾

"Hey, Auntie Alice." she greeted the woman timidly.

Alice only hummed in response.

Cassie sat in silence for a while, having so much to say but not knowing how to say them. 

"I'm really sorry." she finally said a tear rolling down her cheek.

Alice saw this and gave her a bubble gum wrapper and patted her head.

She gave a watery chuckled, "Thanks."

She stood and walked to the door realising the time.

"Bye Auntie Alice, Uncle Frank."

❾¾

She found Remus sat at a table having some tea, he usually found it too hard to visit Alice and Frank so stayed in the hospital's cafe instead.

"Ready to go Pup?" he asked noticing her.

"Yeah, are we apparating to Godric's Hollow?"

Remus nodded and she took his arm.

❾¾

Remus took a seat on one of the benches scattered around the cemetery, where he could see Cassie but still give her some privacy, and watched her on her ways to his best friends' graves.

As Cassiopeia approached the grave, she saw two familiar faces staring back at her.

"Auntie Lily, Prongsie!" she exclaimed quietly.

She could see them just like she could see Regulus, she could see the spirits of all those whose bodies were buried there. The difference being that were unable to leave where they were laid to rest, apart from when they went to the after-world of course.

Regulus had explained this to her when she first visited them but refused to say why he wasn't the same.

"You'll know when I feel you need to" he'd say.

"Hey Pawslette, miss me?" James grinned

"Not as much as I missed Auntie Lily." she teased, smirk faltering when she remembered why she was there.

"What's wrong Cassie?" Lily asked gently.

"I had to come and say sorry."

"For what?" James asked bewildered.

"For what my dad did to you." she murmured.

"It wasn't ---"

James was interrupted by the newly appeared Regulus who promptly rugby tackled him to the ground. Lily just watched the men in mild amusement.

"What did I tell you, you prat." Regulus hissed at James.

"She deserves to know."

"Not yet!"

"What's that about?" Cassie asked Lily curiously.

"Reg is still annoyed that James beat him in a Quidditch match back in 6th year." Lily lied smoothly.

"Hey, I heard that! I did not lose to a _Gryffindor;_ we drew because Potter here distracted me with his idiocy so that I wouldn't catch the snitch."

"Whatever you say Black, whatever you say."

"Anyway," Lily cleared her throat pointedly, rolling her eyes at the boys. "Our fates were nothing to do with you sweetie. You don't have to apologise."

"Hey midget, Remus looks about ready to leave. You'd better get going."

"Call me midget one more time, I dare you! I _will_ get the hoover on you tío Reg."

"Whatever you say midget."

Cassiopeia glared at him but left all the same, waving good-bye to James and Lily.

"I'm ready Moony."

"Okay, let's go home. Movie night?"

"Only if we can watch Grease."

"You know it."

They both smiled feeling the happiest they had since Sirius' escape.

❾¾

Once she was sure Cassiopeia had left Lily swiftly smacked James around the head.

"Why does everyone keep attacking me like this?"

Regulus shrugged smirking, "You're a pretty attackable person."

James flipped him off pouting.

Lily ignored their childishness, "James Fleamont Potter, what were you thinking?"

"What do you mean?" he asked innocently.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"But she deserves to know!"

"You know what the Fates said Potter, we can't mess with the Fates."

"Stupid Fates." James muttered.

"Shut your mouth Potter. I don't like this anymore than you do but I get to tell her soon."

"Come on boys, stop your squabbling we have revenge to plot." Lily called.

"Your wife is scary, mate." Regulus whispered to James, seeing a dangerous glint in Lily's eyes.

"I know, I love it."

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> I know this is quite bad and a bit of a filler, but I needed to include the escape. Also, I love Regulus with my whole heart - he deserves the world, and no-one can tell me any different.


	13. The Job Offer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Means Something by Lizzy McAlpine

A few weeks had passed since the visits, still unbearably quiet and slightly claustrophobic due to not being able to go outside but Cassie was coping just fine.

She was now able to visit Draco, Narcissa had assured Remus the wards on the Manor would protect her. In fact, she was just getting ready to getting ready for her stay there when Remus appeared at her door - a smile on his face despite the impending full moon.

"Hey Pup, whatcha doing?"

"Just getting ready to leave, Blaise and Pansy are coming to the manor since they're going back to school soon. Why are you smiling like that? It's pretty creepy - hey, maybe that's why you don't have a boyfriend," she teased.

Regulus stood next to her with a considering expression, "I think you're right Cassie, he looks very murderer like right now."

"Tío Reg agrees."

Remus threw a pillow at her and they all laughed.

"But, seriously, what's up?" she asked once they'd calmed down.

"Well Dumbledore was just here ---"

"Ugh, Dumblewhore."

Regulus snorted while Remus gave her a disapproving look.

" _Anyway,_ he had an offer for me."

"An offer?"

"A job offer." Cassie squealed in excitement, knowing how much Remus wanted to have a stable job.

"A teaching position." 

"At Hogwarts!?!"

"Yep."

"Professor Moony has a nice ring to it," she teased.

"You know what else he suggested?"

"Go on," she urged.

"That you join Hogwarts too," he beamed.

"REALLY?" at this point she was jumping up and down, grinning ear to ear.

"Yep, it should be safer for you if I'm there. Especially considering recent things..." he trailed off.

Cassie hugged him tightly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"I'll ask Narcissa to get your things. It's not safe for you to go to Diagon Alley and I'd do it but it's the full moon tomorrow."

"It's fine. Love you Moony!"

"Love you too Pup."

❾¾

"Your favourite child is here," Cassie called as she got out of the floo, still grinning.

She had arrived in their living room where they Narcissa, Lucius and Draco were having tea.

"Now that's just rude," Draco said in mock offense.

"Yes well, dear cousin, the truth hurts."

"Cassiopeia, dear, how lovely to see you."

"Afternoon Cissa. I decided to come a little earlier since you've been deprived of my _wonderful_ presence lately."

"Modest as always Cassie."

"You know it Luci."

"Are you going to tells us why you're grinning like a lunatic, or..."

"Tactful as ever Draco. Oh, Cissa, Moony asked if you could Pick these up for me in Diagon Alley," she handed Narcissa her Hogwarts letter.

Draco gasped, "You didn't!"

"Didn't what?" she asked innocently.

"Oh Merlin, you did!"

"She did what?" Lucius asked confused, meanwhile Narcissa grinned and had him follow her out so the kids could catch up properly.

"He let you?"

"Yep!"

"Yesss!"

"Only because he's a professor now."

"Moony's a professor?"

"Yep, but it's a start."

"Pansy's going to kill you for not telling her first."

"She'll live," Cassie shrugged.

"You won't." Draco laughed.

"As long as I don't tell Blaise before her I'll be fine."

"You're going to tell him first, aren't you?" 

"Already have, owl'd him straight away," she smirked.

He facepalmed, "at this rate you'll not live to see Hogwarts."

"YOU'RE GOING TO HOGWARTS?" Pansy shrieked appearing from the floo with a smirking Blaise who winked at Cassie.

"Oh no," Draco sighed.

"Hello to you too Pansy."

"You have some explaining to do Cassiopeia! And why did _Zabini_ get to know before me?"

Both Cassie and Blaise ignored her, clearly enjoying winding her up.

"How are you Bellissima?" Blaise asked kissing her cheek.

"Well. Blaise, you're looking handsome as ever."

Pansy threw a pillow at them.

"This is going to be a long three days," Draco muttered.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note:
> 
> This is a shorter one but hope you enjoyed it all the same! Xx


	14. The Train Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Waving Through a Window by Ben Platt, Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they shouted at the foot of Cassiopeia's bed.

"Ugh, what time is it?"

"Six."

She turned onto her back to them and attempted to go back to sleep.

That was until Pansy threw a bucket of water over her.

"Told you I'd need it," she smirked.

"PANSY PERSEPHONE PARKINSON I SWEAR TO SALAZAR SLYTHERIN HIMSELF IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ARSE OUT OF MY ROOM RIGHT NOW, I'LL HIT YOU!"

"And that, is my cue to leave," Pansy said looking only slightly scared.

Blaise, ever the gentleman, promptly put a drying charm over Cassie while Draco laughed himself to tears.

"Thanks Blaise, at least _someone_ here has manners."

"Just hurry up and get ready, we have to be at the station by eleven and you still have to open your presents."

Cassie rolled her eyes at her cousin but got up, nevertheless. 

❾¾

"I still don't understand why we have to be here so early," Blaise complained.

"You and me both," Cassie muttered.

"Hey, lighten up, at least we can get better seats now," Draco reasoned.

"And, we can come with you to see Remus," Pansy added.

"Your crush on Moony is disturbing, I hope you know that."

"I second that," Draco agreed looking a little queasy at the thought.

"And not to mention the fact that he's gay," Blaise added.

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to look - plus the whole mysterious werewolf vibe is hot."

"I mean you're not wrong," Blaise said after a moment.

"You're both gross so I'm going alone. Draco I'll come find you after I've spoken to Moony."

_"Hey!"_

"Okay, don't be long."

❾¾

"Hey Pup, excited?"

"Incredibly, how are you? Tough full moon?"

"T'was okay. Don't worry about me, i'm fine. Think I'll sleep most of the train ride though."

"Good idea, still want me to sit with you for a bit?"

"Yeah, just sit with Draco for the first half while I have a kip."

"If you're sure," she kissed his cheek. " see you in a bit."

"Bye Pup."

❾¾

"Finally."

"Merlin, I wasn't gone that long."

"Long enough. They're arguing over who the hottest people in the school are!"

"It's not an argument, merely a debate."

"Go on then Blaise, who've you chosen?"

Draco shook his head in exasperation.

"Alicia Spinnet, one of the Gryffindor chasers and Cedric Diggory. You know the Hufflepuff pretty boy."

"Ah, strong contestants. Pansy?"

"Hermione Granger ---"

"But she's so annoying!" Draco whined.

"Yeah, but did you see her on the platform - she's gorgeous. Oh, and Graham Montague one of the Slytherin Chasers."

Cassie nodded, "What about you Draco?"

"I'm not doing this."

"Come on, you have to!"

"Fine, umm, Padma Patil and myself."

"Yourself?"

"Yep," Blaise snorted.

"What about you Cassie?" Pansy asked.

"I don't know, ask me after the feast when I've seen everyone."

Pansy laughed and soon they started talking about other things, Cassie's slight anxiety about Hogwarts leaving.

❾¾

"You sure you're fine going to Moony on your own?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I might stop by Neville's compartment on the way if I find him anyway."

"Okay if you're sure."

"See you later guys."

"Bye Cassie," they chorused.

❾¾

Cassie opened the door to the compartment she had left Moony in only to find three others in it with him staring at her confused.

"Oh, umm, sorry I didn't know anyone else would be in here. I promised my -" 

_'Wait, what is Moony to me?'_ she thought.

"-Uncle," _'Close enough'_ she pointed at Remus, "I'd come sit with him for some of the ride."

"I'm Cassiopeia," she greeted careful not to give them her last name.

"Oh, it's fine, you can sit us." The girl said, "I'm Hermione."

 _'Pansy was right she is gorgeous!'_ Cassie thought.

"Ron Weasley," the ginger boy nodded.

 _'Where have I heard that name before?'_ she wondered. _'Oh yeah, the boy Draco doesn't like. Let's hope he doesn't come looking for me.'_

She turned her head to great the final boy but found she wouldn't need an introduction. She'd know those green eyes and that messy hair anywhere, her Harry. Except he wasn't her Harry anymore, was he? Draco was still _her_ Dragon; Neville was still _her_ Nev but Harry - _he_ probably didn't even remember her.

"Harry Potter," he greeted.

As he looked at her, he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity, like he had known her once, but put the thought to the back of his mind. _'It's been a long day, I'm probably just tired'_ he reasoned with himself.

She sat down next to Remus and almost laughed as she looked over at him - _'He's definitely been ease dropping'_ she thought.

"So," Hermione started. "are you just starting Hogwarts?"

"Yep, third year."

"Really? We're third years. How come you're only just starting?"

"I was home schooled but Remus," she nodded towards him. "got this job so decided I should start."

The group begun to get to know Cassie and she found herself once again grateful for finally joining Hogwarts.

❾¾

The train came to a halt and all the lights went out leaving everyone with only moonlight and the howling of the wind.

"Why are we stopping?"

"No way we're there yet," Harry said confused.

"What was that noise?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Looks like people are coming aboard."

"On the train?" Cassie asked sounding panicked and Remus tensed.

"I think," Ron said bewildered.

The compartment door suddenly opened, and someone fell onto Harry.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry --"

"Oh, it's just you Neville." Cassie said sounding relieved.

"Cassie? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea, I hoped you'd know. Come sit here," she said scooting up towards Remus to make room for him.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. 

She didn't get to leave the compartment it seemed as the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain could be heard.  
  
"Who's that?"  
  
"Who's that?"  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I was looking for Ron --"  
  
"Come in and sit down --"  
  
Ginny went to sit down but evidently didn't see Neville.  
  
"Ouch!" said Neville.  
  
"Quiet!" said Remus in a tense voice suddenly.

"Moony what's happening?" Cassie whispered, frightened.

Remus didn't respond, instead moving to open the door. He didn't get there quick enough though it seemed, as the door slowly slid open.

A shiver ran through them all as a dark cloaked hand appeared. As it came closer Cassie recognised it as a dementor, cloaked and eerie.

It didn't stop there though, heading inside the compartment. Cassie froze, paralysed by its depressive nature and then it started. 

The flashbacks, the memories, the nightmares.

Cassie was two years old in the wardrobe again, only now she was more aware. She heard the screams, the panic, the pain. She saw the light leave Lily's eyes, the scar Harry now brandished, the destruction.

Then she saw the aftermath. The tears, the goodbyes, her dad leaving. She heard her own pleas, her misery, her confusion. She felt the anguish in the realisation that they weren't coming back and the fact that Harry had been taken from her. She felt the anger and resentment towards her dad.

Then, finally, she felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. Her pain numbed as she slipped unconscious.

❾¾

When her consciousness returned, she was surrounded by worried looks. There she lay, tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes, on the compartment floor.

The first thing she noticed was the addition of Draco, Pansy and Blaise.

"Hey Star, gave us a scare then. You were out cold for a while."

Everyone eyed Draco suspiciously having never heard him speak like this. Well, everyone except from Neville, Blaise, Pansy, Remus and surprisingly Harry, who was much more interested in the peculiarly familiar girl who had been the only other person onboard to faint from the dementors.

"Hey Dragon, think I scared myself a bit too."

"Here Pup eat up," Remus handed her some chocolate with a worried look.

Cassie nibbled on the chocolate, suddenly aware of her audience. Draco Pansy and Blaise had joined her cross-legged on the floor while Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Neville were all on the seats and Remus was stood by the door.

Remus looked over the children helplessly, "Draco, are you okay to stay with Cassie? I want to but I'm the only teacher aboard and I need to speak to the driver."

"Yeah, we'll stay with her Moony."

"She couldn't get rid of us if she tried," said an uncharacteristically glum Blaise, Cassie leaned her head on his shoulder breathing shakily.

"You don't have a calming draught on you, do you Remus? She looks like she needs one," said Pansy squeezing Cassie's hand.

"No, but I'll make sure Poppy knows to be ready for her when we arrive."

Pansy nodded solemnly and Remus begrudgingly left looking troubled. 

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> Did I write another chapter instead of doing homework? Yes, yes, I did but I don't regret it. Writing is a lot better, so I don't really care. It's a longer chapter to make up for the last short one, hope you enjoyed it! Xx


	15. The Sorting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Haunted by Taylor Swift

"You okay to go up there yourself?"

"Yeah Pansy, I'll be fine."

Pansy didn't believe her but gave her hand a comforting squeeze and left anyway, knowing the girl was too stubborn for her own good.

Cassie looked a little better after some more chocolate and a calming draught from Madam Pomfrey but was still unhealthily pale. She had been just about silent while in the thestral drawn carriages and was currently waiting to enter the great hall to be sorted with the first years.

There she stood, a head taller than all the first years, listening to Professor McGonagall's speech.

"Alright then, into the hall with you - no dawdling. Cassiopeia dear, are you quite sure you're okay?"

"Just peachy Minnie," she responded with a nervous smile.

"Off you go then; you'll be sorted last I believe."

Cassie nodded and entered through the huge hall doors.

❾¾

The Great Hall was a large hall with four long tables where students of each House sat; to the left was the Gryffindor table, then Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and finally to the right was the Slytherin table. The staff table was at the front, where the entire Hogwarts staff sat, including Dumbledore who sat in the centre in a throne like chair. 

Possibly the most impressive thing about the hall was the ceiling, enchanted to reflect the starry night sky. Had she not been so nervous, Cassie would have marvelled at the sight. All the constellations were visible, and the moon was bright, below the sky were rows of floating candles lighting up the room.

Cassie stood at the end of the crowd of children, dreading the moment her name would be called. But time passed, as time often does, and the crowd dwindled until only she remained.

"Along with the first years there is also a new third year student joining us along with the new DADA teacher Mr Lupin," Dumbledore informed the students just before her name was called and she inwardly cursed the man for somehow managing to draw more attention to her.

"Black, Cassiopeia." Minnie called and gasps immersed from around the room, then silence.

Cassie tried to not let it faze her. She embodied her inner Narcissa and kept her head high, a faux look of indifference on her face. She sat on the wooden stool, briefly aware of Regulus' anxious appearance next to her, and McGonagall put the sorting hat on her head.

'Ah,' said a voice in her head. 'I've been awaiting you're sorting for a long time."

'What do you mean?'

'You're destined to do great things child; the prophecy is very clear of that.'

'Prophecy?'

'Yes, but now is not the time for that. Now is only the beginning.'

To say Cassie was confused was an understatement.

'You'd fit all the houses I see hard working, wise, ambitious and a pinch of recklessness. But your bravery and cunning come above all. It seems the prophecy is to be confirmed my child, just be aware not all those have your best interests at heart. Reputations don't always reflect the true person inside so tread with caution. I've done all I can for you, I cannot stall the inevitable any longer.'

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat called and the table of green erupted with cheers, Draco's being the loudest.

It didn't stop there though; the hat was yet to be lifted from her head when it shouted once more.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

As confusion grew so did the noise and suddenly Cassie was drowning in the commotion.

The hat was lifted from her head, making her aware of the stares she was receiving. Everyone was talking about her but not too her. The attention overwhelming her she looked around helplessly and saw Dumbledore whispered conspiringly with McGonagall.

Then, she turned and saw Regulus had paled - which was a sight to see considering he was a ghost. She didn't have much time to think on his reaction though as suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder making her jump.

"Come on Star," Draco said encouragingly, leading her to the Slytherin table and sending withering glares to those watching them.

Once at the table she seemed to calm. The group seemed to cover her from the gawking crowd, understanding they could get answers later right now they needed to protect Cassie.

❾¾

"¿Qué está pasando?" asked Cassie shakily. **~What's happening?~**

"No lo sé Star," replied Draco, holding her hand tight. **~I don't know Star~**

She nodded laying her head on Draco's shoulder.

❾¾

The feast was painstakingly slow, and Cassie hardly touched her food, too aware of the whispers surrounding her.

Once everybody had ate, she left the great hall with Pansy and the others, assuming she would have a bed in both Slytherin and Gryffindor dorms.

As luck would have it, she was right so unpacked her trunk and then went to sleep - part of her hoping today was just a dream she would wake up from.

❾¾


	16. The Arrangements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Comfort Crowd by Conan Gray

Cassie awoke early the next morning to the slight disappointment of last night not being a dream. It was only six but she knew there would be no use in trying to fall back to sleep so decided to get ready for the day.

She looked around her bedroom observing her dormmates' areas. Cassie shared her room with Pansy and three other girls whom she had met, albeit only briefly, yesterday.

Millicent Bulstrode, a timid brunette, slept on the end right bed. She was on the chubbier side but was still quite pretty, though the boys didn't seem to agree based off the rude comments Cassie had overheard at the feast. Millicent seemed rather shy and reserved but friendly enough.

Daphne Greengrass, a blond, blue eyed girl who seemed quite stuck up and self-adsorbed, slept in the bed next to Millicent. She was insanely beautiful and knew it, but that isn't what bothered Cassie - in fact that was probably the thing she liked the most about her, she definitely knew her own worth - what bothered her was Daphne's obvious distain for anyone she deemed 'below her status'.

Tracey Davis, a brown-haired half-blood, slept in the middle bed with Cassie to her immediate left and Pansy on the end left bed. She had her hair cut into a short bob, dazzling hazel eyes and a slim build. She seemed down to earth and funny with a rebellious streak. Despite only having a small conversation with her, Cassie felt drawn to her and also held immense respect for her knowing how hard it must be to be a half-blood in a house filled mostly with purebloods who have superiority complexes.

Seeing that all the girls were still asleep, she decided she'd just have to find her own way around the castle. Cassie got ready as quietly as she should; she opted to leave her dark brown, wavy hair down, wearing cuffed blue mom jeans with an oversized Nirvana t-shirt tucked into them and her black doc martens.  
  


❾¾  
  


After successfully getting lost several times, Cassie managed to find the great hall and sat down for breakfast. Not long after Tracey appeared and took the seat across from her.

"Did you have to get directions from a first year?" Tracey teased as she sat down.

"No, the Bloody Baron took pity on me showed me the way," Cassie laughed.

They sat together getting to know each other for a while as more and more students filed into the hall.

"God, you'd think you were the murderer with all the stares," Tracey said feeling all eyes on them.

"I wasn't just being paranoid then?" asked Cassie sighing slightly.

"I'll fix it," Tracey smirked.

"How ---"

Tracey stood on the Slytherin table looking at the hundred or so students currently in the great hall.

"Hey! Keep the stares to yourselves will you. I know she's gorgeous, but you don't have be so obvious!" Tracey shouted winking at Cassie.

"Miss Davis get off the table!"

Cassie blushed but Tracey's shouts seemed to have done the trick as people quickly averted their eyes from her. 

She looked to the teacher's table as Tracey got a mild telling off from McGonagall and Remus caught her eye. He raised his eyebrow at her red cheeks, amusement clear on his face having watched the exchange and looked between her and Tracey teasingly.

Cassie merely rolled her eyes at him, her cheeks still red and went back to eating her breakfast, chatting with Tracey once she returned.  
  


❾¾  
  


Feeling much more at peace than she had last night, Cassie decided it was time to see Remus and then it would be time for her to learn what her sorting meant for her.

"Cassie, is that you?" Remus called from inside his quarters as he heard someone enter.

"Who else would it be Moony? You don't have any friends," she teased walking into his living room.

"I do have friends!"

"Professor Snape doesn't count, he'd probably try and poison you."

"I am _not_ friends with **Snivellus**!"

"Okay, okay! Sorry for offending your honour."

"As you should be."

She sat on the sofa, taking the hot chocolate Remus offered her, and tried to figure out how to bring yesterday's events up.

Sensing her inner-turmoil, Remus decided he would bring up the situation.

"So, your sorting."

"Yep, that happened."

"How are you feeling?"

"Confused? I don't know really."

"Spoke to Draco yet?"

"Not really, went to bed early and got up early too."

"Dumbledore spoken to you?"

"No, and I'd like to keep it that way! Just because he did one good thing doesn't mean I've stopped thinking he's an arse."

"Cassie!"

"What? It's the truth and you know it. Why he's idolised so much I'll never know."

Remus sighed, "How about you see Minnie?"

"You really don't know what's happening?"

His eyes softened, "No Pup, I don't. Come on we'll see her together."

Cassie nodded and grabbed Remus' hand as he got up. She felt small and insignificant, so she clung to her only consistency - him.  
  


❾¾  
  


"Professor Lupin, Miss Black. I wasn't expecting you."

"Hey Minnie." Cassie greeted giving the professor a weak smile.

Minerva's heart clenched at the name, memories of the girl's father whom she resembled a little too much. A boy said to have done the unforgivable, the unthinkable, something she still didn't quite believe.

"Just had some questions for you if you don't mind," Remus said

"Of course, come in."

They entered her quarters, going over to sit at the table where Minerva escorted them.

"Am I to assume this is about your sorting?"

Cassie nodded looking down as Remus gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

"We're just a bit confused what happens now," Remus informed her.

"Naturally," she nodded. "I've had questions myself that I've taken to Albus."

"What's going to happen?" Cassie asked meekly.

"Well, a lot of that's up to you Miss Black. You have a bed in both dormitories, Gryffindor and Slytherin classes are already together so that shouldn't be an issue and you can sit anywhere in the Great Hall, just your personal preference really."

"What about house points?" Cassie asked.

"Well, I've heard you want on the quidditch team?"

"Yeah."

"Which team would you be trying out for?"

"Slytherin," Cassie answered quickly and Remus chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"What position?" She asked curiously.

"Beater!"

"Well good luck to you on that. I propose, if you get in, that you play for Slytherin but get house points for Gryffindor."

"So, my Quidditch points go to Slytherin but any house points, gained or lost, goes to the lions?"

Minnie nodded while Remus rolled her eyes at Gryffindor being referred to as 'the lions' - it was something she'd picked up from Regulus and he swore she did it just to annoy him.

"Okay, I can work with that."

"Good, is that all?"

Cassie hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to tell them about the supposed prophecy, but then she saw Regulus shake his head at her and chose not to mention it.

"Yep, thanks Minnie. I'm going to go see Draco now Moony, bye."

Minerva chuckled at the girl as she sped off, noticeably lighter on her feet after they'd spoke.

"You're going to have problems with that one, Mr Lupin."

"I think she's more your problem now she's here, Minnie. I can just sit back and observe the mischief."

"Will you still just observe when she starts dating?" she teased.

Remus paled a little then proclaimed, "I'm planning to put a jinx on her, make it so no-one can get within 6 feet of her when the time comes."

"No-one?"

"Yep, if they're not related, I don't trust 'em and I've got a feeling it's not just boys I'll have to swat away so better safe than sorry."

"You can't protect her from everything Remus."

"I know but I can try. I'd lock her up in a castle with a dragon guarding her forever, but she'd only tame it and set herself free."

"She'll be okay."

"That's all I can hope for," he sighed.  
  


❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter, the school year starts properly next time. Please like and comment if you enjoyed! 
> 
> Hope you all are doing well Xx


	17. The Divination Class

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Everybody Talks by Neon Trees

Cassie awoke to the frantic movements of her dormmates on Monday morning. She had spent quite a lot of time with Remus over the weekend after she had spoken to Draco but had to attend the first day of classes today. 

Knowing she was going to have to put up with the stares all day put her on edge, but she decided she wouldn't let it show. It also made her anxious that Regulus seemed to be avoiding her, while he did watch over her like usual, he wouldn't accompany her if she was alone or with people who knew about him. He was hiding something, but Cassie wasn't sure what.

 _"Cassiopeia get up!"_ shrieked Daphne.

Cassie flinched at the noise and sat up slightly alarmed.

"I tried to make her let you have a lie in, but you know what she's liked," said an already dressed Tracey shaking her head.

"It's fine," Cassie gave her a small smile then started to get ready.

"Ah, I see the princess has awoken up!" Pansy said bowing to Cassie mockingly.

Cassie just flipped her off and went back to tying up her boots.

"So rude I---"

Pansy was cut off by Daphne, "Come on we're leaving."

"Umm, just leave without us." said Tracey confused.

"No! I said we're all leaving so we're leaving!"

"Why'd we want to walk with you?" asked Tracey sounding like she was assessing Daphne's mental state.

"Just do as I say you _**filthy half-blood**!"_

"Silencio," Cassie cast the spell with ease, "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all Greengrass!" she hissed then grabbed her bag and left with the other girls.

Daphne stood in the middle of the room enraged then, realising she had no way to reverse the spell wordlessly on her own, set off to find Snape.

❾¾

Cassie sat down at the Slytherin table, throwing her bag onto the floor, and started to eat her breakfast in aggravated silence.

"What's up with her?" asked Draco concerned.

"Daphne" was all Pansy replied and he nodded in understanding.

"You didn't have to do that," muttered a downtrodden Tracey after a few minutes of silence.

Cassie looked up at her, eyes softening, "Yes I did."

"No, you didn't!"

"She needed putting in her place."

"I could have handled it."

"I know, but you shouldn't have to." Tracey gave her a small smile.

"Have you done being in a mood now?" asked Blaise teasingly.

Cassie rolled her eyes at him, " You're just mad I didn't greet you."

"That I am, Bellissima. I feel very neglected right now."

Pansy snorted, "Shut up you idiot. Here, because I'm amazing, I got everyone's timetables."

"Thanks," they chorused now comparing them.

"Looks like you're alone for divination," said Tracey sympathetically.

"You all took Arithmancy?"

Everyone nodded and Cassie sighed.

"I best get going then."

"Bye."

❾¾

"How do I still not know where I'm going?" 

"Having a bit of trouble?"

"So, you've had enough of avoiding me now?"

"Cassie--- "

"No, Tío Reg. I'm already almost late we'll disgust this later. Just show me the way, please."

He nodded and led her through the hallways looking a little ashamed.

❾¾

Somehow, she wasn't late, she did however run into the 'Golden Trio'. No words were exchanged only suspicious glances and glares until the ladder dropped and they all entered the cooking sherry smelling room.

She looked around at the strangest-looking classroom she had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop.

At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups.

She took in the peculiar seen, the incense burning and filling her senses. She already felt quite overwhelmed and the frequent whispers weren't helping one bit.

"Where is she?" Ron said.

A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.  
  
"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."  
  
Cassie's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings. Cassie had to stifle a laugh at her clothing, she looked very much like a fake muggle fortune teller.  
  
"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. 

Cassie cursed inwardly, she was new, and everyone seemed to be avoiding her like the plague. She looked around and saw that the only spare seat was at the table Harry, Ron, and Hermione had sat themselves around.

Reluctantly, she sat down with them and was not oblivious to the dark looks the group shared.

"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."  
  
Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you...Books can take you only so far in this field..."  
  
Hermione seemed to bristle at these words while Ron and Harry eyed her teasingly.  
  
"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?"

Cassie tensed at this, Neville was quite a nervous boy so would undoubtedly be worried now.  
  
"I think so," said Neville tremulously.  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. 

Cassie narrowed her eyes at her Professor. 

Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."  
  
Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him and Cassie covered her snort with a cough.  
  
"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball -- if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us for ever."  
  
A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it. Cassie merely rolled her eyes at the teacher's dramatics, severely doubting that she pertained any actual talent in divination.  
  
"I wonder, dear," she said to a Gryffindor girl, who was nearest to her, and the girl shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"  
  
Looking relieved, she stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.  
  
"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading -- it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."  
  
She trembled.  
  
"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear," -- she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."

Cassie tensed again at Neville being singled out.  
  
Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind...thank you..."  
  
Cassiopeia and Hermione begrudgingly begun the task, both clearly sceptical of their Professor.  
  
"Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"  
  
"A load of soggy brown stuff," said Harry and Cassie snorted, then received a glare from Ron.  
  
"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom.  
  
"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross..." Harry consulted Unfogging the Future. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' -- sorry about that -- but there's a thing that could be the sun. Hang on...that means 'great happiness'...so you're going to suffer but be very happy..."  
  
"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron, and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction.  
  
"My turn..." Ron peered into Harry's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic..."  
  
He turned the teacup the other way up.  
  
"But this way it looks more like an acorn...what's that?" He scanned his copy of Unfogging the Future. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. And there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal...yeah, if that was its head...it looks like a hippo...no, a sheep..."  
  
Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter.  
  
"Let me see that my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.

Cassie sighed and shook her head waiting for what tragedy she would predict next.

Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counterclockwise.  
  
"The falcon...my dear, you have a deadly enemy."  
  
"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.  
  
"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."

Cassie didn't even try to cover up her laughter this time,

Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it.  
  
"The club...an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup..."  
  
"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.  
  
"The skull...danger in your path, my dear..."  
  
Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.  
  
There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.  
  
"My dear boy -- my poor dear boy -- no -- it is kinder not to say -- no -- don't ask me...."  
  
"What is it, Professor?" asked a boy named Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harry's cup.

'Stupid busy bodies' Cassie thought, feeling quite claustrophobic surrounded by the crowd.  
  
"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim."  
  
"The what?" said Harry.  
  
Nearly everybody clapped their hands to their mouths in horror while both Cassie and Hermione rolled their eyes.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen -- the worst omen -- of death!"

Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.  
  
"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly.  
  
Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.  
  
"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."  
  
Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.  
  
"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.  
  
"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking even everybody by surprise. Now nobody seemed to want to look at him. Cassie felt a pang of sympathy for him.  
  
"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. "Yes...please pack away your things..."

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> A lot of this chapter contains extracts from the PoA book, but I tried change/add to a lot of it. Hope you enjoyed, don't forget to vote.
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well! Xx


	18. The Hippogriff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: What a shame by Layla Blue

Everyone left the divination classroom quietly, most kept glancing at Harry as if he could drop dead at any minute.

Cassie fell into step with the trio on their way to Transfiguration chatting to Hermione about lessons, though she could tell the curious witch was trying to politely bring up her sorting. As it seemed, she didn't need to beat around the bush because Ron, blunt as ever, also had questions.

"So, your dad taught you some tricks then."

"Sorry?"

"Your dad, y'know the murderer you conveniently didn't mention was related to on the train. Was it him who taught you how to manipulate the sorting hat?"

 _"Ronald!"_ Hermione hissed.

"What? It's just strange isn't it, her dad escapes and suddenly she starts school. You _know_ who he's after Mione and I bet she does too."

"Just what are you excusing me of?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just wondering if you're going to grow up and be like your _daddy_."

"That _man_ isn't my dad, he's my father but I don't know him."

"Then how'd you do it? How'd you become a Gryffindor and a Slytherin? You'll never be accepted you know, all you are is a filthy, rotten snake!"

"Ron!"

"Bet you're the reason Harry got the grim. Going to finish the job your dad helped start?"

Cassie was speechless, tears glistened in her eyes and she felt all the guilt she'd pushed down from her father's actions rise again.

 _"Ron that's enough!"_ hissed Harry, who seemed to have noticed her distress.

Cassie pushed past Ron and entered the Transfiguration classroom, deciding to sit next to Draco.

❾¾

"Really, Ron? You just had to do that?"

"Oh, come off it Mione. She's bad news and you know it."

"No, I don't actually because we don't actually know the girl, just who her father is."

"Yeah, well, that's good enough for me."

"That's unfair and you know it," said Harry. " I've read the Daily Prophet; he was arrested the day after he did it. She knows him just about as much as I know my parents."

They were all silent after that and Ron shot Harry an apologetic look. Harry just shrugged it off and they all entered the classroom.

❾¾

"What's up?" Draco asked as soon as she sat down.

"Nothing."

"I know you're lying Star."

"I'm fine."

"Liar."

Cassie just sighed then got out her equipment.

"You can't just ignore me."

She wrote down the date and title on her piece of parchment.

"Well, I mean you can, but I won't make it easy for you!"

Cassie kept her eyes to the front making notes as McGonagall spoke.

"Who do I need to kill?"

Her eyes automatically glanced to where the trio were sitting and then back to the board. It was only for a split second, but Draco caught it.

"What did Potter and Weasley do now?"

She tensed, "Nothing."

"I'll just have to ask them then, won't I."

Cassie's eyes widened in alarm, "You will not!"

"Just you watch."

Cassie had never been so glad that the class had taken a detour, now retelling the tale of Divination, so her and Draco's conversation wasn't noticed.

"Fine, Weasley just made some stupid comments about me being like my _dad,_ " she spat the word as if it was poison in her mouth.

Draco's face darkened, "I'll kill him, I swear!"

"No, you will not. Now, can you please get back to your notes."

Draco was still tensed but obeyed, nevertheless.

❾¾

The class was over and soon enough it was lunch, then Care for Magical Creature and by then he had calmed down considerably.

Cassie walked down towards Hagrid's hut with Draco, Blaise and Pansy in tow, the others had taken either Ancient Ruins or Muggle Studies.

"Have any of you managed to open your books?" Draco asked.

"Nope, had to tie mine up with a belt." replied Pansy.

"Kinky," announced Blaise, winking at Cassie as she laughed.

Pansy hit him around the head while Draco glared at him having saw the wink he sent his cousin.

"You just have to stroke the spine," Cassie told them.

They all did so and sighed in relief as they opened. Cassie then waved Neville over and showed him how to open his book, to which he thanked her profusely as he was worried it would "try to eat my other shoe."

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.  
  
"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

Hagrid led them towards the paddock then went to fetch the creature they'd be studying, and Cassie heard Draco scoff.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Draco loudly. "That oaf teaching classes; my father'll have a fit when I tell him ---"

"Shut it Malfoy!" said Harry at the same time as Cassie elbowed him.

Draco stumbled a bit holding his side as Cassie shot him a warning look.

❾¾

Hagrid returned with a dozen of the most bizarre creature Cassie had ever seen in person. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes - Hippogriffs she realised with a touch of excitement. 

Hagrid encouraged them to go forward but only a few people actually did, Cassie being one of them after she released herself from the overprotective grip of Draco.

Harry was the first to offer to approach the majestic creatures and the class watched with bated breath, especially after a girl Cassie now knew to be called Lavender Brown reminded them all of his tea leaves.

The class watched Harry greet and eventually ride the Hippogriff, which seemed quite fun and made Cassie a little jealous.

Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock.

Draco had taken over Harry's hippogriff 'Buckbeak' and seemed to be plotting, always wanting to best Harry.

"This is very easy," Draco drawled, loud enough for Harry to, hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

Cassie facepalmed at his stupidity and was about to warn him when it happened.

In a flash of steely talons, he let out a high-pitched scream. The next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Draco, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

Cassie gasped and ran to him, knowing it was his own fault but not liking to see him in pain.

"It's killed meh, it's killed meh!" Draco yelled as the class panicked.

Blaise snorted at his exclamation only to get elbowed by Pansy as she saw the long deep gash on his arm.

Hagrid picked Draco up, fetching him to the hospital wing.

"You're going to regret this," cried a flailing Draco. "You and your bloody chicken!"

Blaise snorted, Pansy couldn't supress her laughter and even Cassie gave a small grin at how ridiculous it sounded as they followed Hagrid.

"Okay, okay Draco we get it - your Father will hear about this!" Blaise teased.

All three of them burst into laughter, feeling only slight sympathy, and Draco wailed - whether it was from his injured arm or pride they were unsure.

❾¾


	19. The Sighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Tolerate it by Taylor Swift

"Oh Draco, do shut up."

Draco stopped mid wail when he heard the voice.

"Father?" he asked hesitantly, throat sore from screaming.

Narcissa and Cassie entered the hospital wing, interrupting whatever Lucius was about to say.

"Ah, I see you have stopped being a damsel-in-distress Dragon." Cassie teased lightly.

"I am no damsel!"

"Of course not, Draco, your pain tolerance is much too low for you to be a woman - a lot like your father that way." Narcissa said with a fake sympathetic tone.

Lucius cleared his throat, clearly not liking being made to sound weak. "Back to why we are here, if you please."

"You came here to make sure Draco was okay," said a confused Cassiopeia.

"That's not entirely true," remarked Lucius.

Draco looked down, disappointed but not surprised. Cassie sat on the edge of his hospital bed and squeezed his hand.

"Well, what is it then?" asked Cassie bluntly.

"Lucius seems to think that something has to be done about the creature," replied Narcissa gently.

Cassie scoffed, "Like what, killing it?"

When Lucius didn't reply she gasped.

"No. No! It is not that poor hippogriffs fault. Draco provoked it and we all know it."

"Something has to be done it makes us look ---"

"I don't care how you think it makes you look or how it damaged your pride Luci! It hurt Draco, but you don't see him demanding its death." she interrupted.

"It's business Cassiopeia, you wouldn't understand."

"Not everything is business Lucius. Family isn't business, _we_ aren't business nor are we just our names."

"Cassie," he sighed.

"No! You're not going to do anything to that creature, in fact, since you didn't even come here to see your _injured son_ , you should just leave. We don't want anything to do with your _business!"_

He looked to wife helplessly and, when all she did was shake her head, he left.

"He's a damn fool," Narcissa shook her head at his fleeting figure. "I'll see you both later, Christmas perhaps?"

"Perhaps," Cassie nodded.

Narcissa kissed them both on the cheek and ruffled Draco's hair affectionately, "I love you both so much."

"Love you," they chorused as she left.

❾¾

"Are you okay?" Cassie asked gently.

Draco nodded and moved up so there was room for her to lay next to him.

"It's not your fault you know. Well, it kind of is," Draco snorted, "but you didn't mean it, so it's okay."

"Think he'll try and do it anyways."

"No, it'll be okay."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Does it hurt?"

"Yeah," he sighed looking down at his bandaged arm.

"You were really stupid."

"I know, love you Star."

"Love you Dragon."

They lay there together, comforted by each other's presence, until Madam Pomfrey eventually had to send Cassie away for dinner.

❾¾

A few long days later, and Draco was finally back to lessons as normal. He made his reappearance in classes late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions.

Cassie had found the subject quite interesting and was rather good at it. While Professor Snape hadn't yet complemented her work, he hadn't insulted it either and, having been taught by him as a child with Draco, she took this as a good sign.

They were just about to start brewing shrinking potions as Draco arrived and he steered Cassie over to where Ron and Harry were. He set up both their cauldrons with a scheming glint in his eyes which worried her, especially when she realised Draco had yet to say anything to Ron over his comments at the start of the week.

Cassie started cutting her ingredients and threw Draco a questioning look when she saw he had yet to start his, he merely smirked at her.

"Sir," he called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm ---"

 _'Oh Merlin,'_ she thought _'of course this was his plan.'_  
  
"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.  
  
 _'Well,'_ she thought _'he does deserve it, and it's harmless enough.'_ She decided she wasn't going to interfere.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Draco.  
  
He smirked across the table at Ron and winked at Cassie.  
  
"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."  
  
Ron seized his knife, pulled Draco's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.

 _'He can't be this dumb,'_ she shook her head at him.  
  
"Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."  
  
Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.

 _'He must be in on it,'_ she thought. _'Draco must have told him what happened.'_  
  
"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."

"But sir ---!"  
  
Ron had spent the last fifteen minutes carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces, almost as perfect as her own Cassie observed.  
  
"Now," said Snape in his most dangerous voice.  
  
Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Draco.

"Well, this will be an eventful lesson," Cassie muttered and Draco smirked at her.

❾¾

A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. It was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse. His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned ---  
  
"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.

Cassie watched on, quietly seething already.  
  
"Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"

Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears. 

"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right ---"  
  
"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."

Cassie was livid and Draco, noticing this, nudged her about to try and calm her down when ---

"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning - they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted." He'd forgotten she was there she surmised.

Cassie stilled and she felt her breathe quicken slightly.

"Where?" said Harry and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Draco looked up, tense and listening closely.  
  
"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So, she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."  
  
"Not too far from here ..." Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. 

He turned around and saw Draco watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"

He then saw Cassie, she looked very close to having a panic attack.

"What's up Black? Scared what everyone will say when your _daddy_ comes back?"

"Sod off Weasley," Draco snarled at the same time as Harry nudged Ron trying to shut him up.

Ron ignored them, deciding to focus on the weakness Cassie was currently showing.

"What's wrong _Snake,_ scared of the truth? Or are you scared of him? Scared of your own dad?"

Cassie gripped her wand tightly, _"Anteoculatia!"_

She then ran out, furious, hot tears streaming down her face.

❾¾

Ron sprouted antlers from his head and, once he had realised, turned bright red.

"I hope you're happy!" growled Draco, packing up both his and Cassie's things.

Ron didn't say anything.

"You should really learn how to control your pet weasel Potter!" he warned.

"You're all dismissed! 20 points from Gryffindor Weasley and detention, I'll set it up with Professor McGonagall."

"But she ---"

"I know, excellent charms work. You now know not to provoke her Weasley, it'll always end up worse for you. Now leave, before I let Mister Malfoy, Mister Zabini and Miss Parkinson show you their extensive knowledge on hexing."

Ron left, still fuming and adorned with antlers.

"I believe she will have gone straight to DADA as you have it with Lupin. I suggest you give Miss Black this when you find her," Snape handed Pansy a calming draught as Blaise picked up Cassie's bag.

"Thanks Professor," Snape nodded and they all left, heads filled with revenge plans.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed, remember to vote if you did!
> 
> Ron is being an arse and Buckbeak isn't going to be executed. There was no Regulus, there will be next chapter though as well as the boggart.  
> Hope you all have a good day, stay safe! Xx


	20. The Boggart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Devil Town by Cavetown

"She's already changing things!"

"I really don't see the issue, her birth alone changed things."

"James, I love you, but you're not helping!"

The three of them had met in the Godric's Hollow cemetery to discuss Cassie, there was a lot to unpack from the situation already and things were rather tense.

Regulus was pacing, James was taking great pleasure in stressing him out further and Lily was trying to diffuse the situation.

"You don't understand, the things she has done already is enough to change the whole timeline predicted!"

"Well, we'd probably understand a hell of a lot better if you would stop pacing and start explaining."

Regulus scowled but stopped pacing nevertheless and took a deep breath.

"Why don't you start from the beginning?" Lily suggested helpfully.

"Okay, well aside from her birth being a complete surprise - even to the Fates - meaning her future is almost completely unknown, she has also managed to activate her prophecy."

"Activate it?"

"Her sorting, it was foretold in the prophecy. All has been confirmed now and so there's no escaping it."

"So, what's the issue? What's so bad about her changing things?"

"You know of the timeline?"

"Yeah, we've seen it."

"Well, she had given Draco a reason to question his beliefs from the start, given him an outlet and a choice. This has changed his future, made it more unpredictable. He isn't a hateful, self-loathing child, so when the hippogriff incident occurred, he didn't care as much for revenge. Cassie made it clear she wouldn't see the creature get hurt and Lucius eventually backed off."

Lily caught on quite quickly to what he was suggesting, "Sirius doesn't have an escape plan."

He nodded gravely, "Nothing's certain now, it's all up to her now."

"When are you going to tell her?" James asked, concern tainting his voice.

He shrugged, "Soon, I imagine I'll have to do it soon."

"Will you tell her about you? How you aren't actually ---"

"No," he cut her off sharply. 

"But the Fates suggested she may be able to ---"

"She isn't ready, too young for any of this - they all are! I'm not letting her risk her life yet, not for me."

"But the Fates!"

"I don't care, it's her welfare over my own. She has the ability to save them all along with Harry, Dumbledore will be making them his child soldiers soon enough and I want her to enjoy the little childhood she has left in peace."

Both Lily and James nodded solemnly, knowing how much truth were in his words.

"Now, if you'll both excuse me, I'll be needed back at Hogwarts soon."

"Everything okay?" James asked hesitantly.

"Ronald Weasley can't keep his mouth shut, seems to think that he's defending Harry and protecting him from her. He got her rather upset and it doesn't seem like she's in the best state to be facing a boggart."

"A boggart?"

"Yeah, Remus found one for the class."

"What will she have to face?"

"Nothing pleasant, I can assure you that."

The couple nodded in understanding and ushered him away after he promised to update them later.

"Merlin, I hope they'll be okay."

"Me too James, me too."

❾¾

_'Pathetic, absolutely pathetic,'_ she told herself.

It had been around fifteen minutes since she ran out and, though she'd calmed down slightly, was still a little overwhelmed resulting in getting herself very lost.

She had rushed out, blinded by her tears, and now had no idea where she was. She considered sending a Patronus to Remus asking for some help but ultimately decided against it.

She was about to just curl up in the corner, resigned to the fact she would probably never be found when she felt the presents of someone familiar -

"I really don't think now is the time to wallow in your own self-pity."

"Tío Reg?"

"Hey midget," he greeted gently. "How're you doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just growing my eyelashes out - tears help with that y'know."

He shook his head at her, wishing he could give her a hug.

"You did some good spell work back there."

She gave a watery chuckle, "You saw that?"

"I see everything," he said mystically.

"Okay, Mystic Meg." She teased, "Care to tell me where I am?"

"Seventh floor corridor."

"Seventh floor? No wonder my legs are killing me."

"Are we just going to ignore your near mental breakdown."

"I mean, I was planning to."

_"Cassie."_

"Fine, Weasley just got under my skin about _dad._ Apparently, he's been sighted close by and, Merlin, I'm terrified! What if he tries to get us? I know what he did, what he caused..."

"Cassie, love, there's something you should know about that. Sirius, it wasn't ---"

❾¾

"Oh, thank Salazar you're alright. She's here guys!" Pansy shouted, successfully interrupting Regulus.

He sighed irritably but knew there was no way he could tell her right now.

"Don't ever do that to us again!" chastised Pansy before proceeding to squeeze the air out of Cassie.

The next ten minutes consisted of lectures on running off, many hugs, reassurances and praises towards her hexing.

They skipped lunch, opting to go to DADA early and get some chocolate off of Remus.

❾¾

They walked into his office and were promptly ushered to the table with some tea.

"Oh, thank god Cassie. You can't just run off!"

"Seriously? You guys just _had_ to tell Moony?" said a pouting Cassie.

"Something could have happened Cassie."

"Please spare me the lecture Moony, trust me these three have covered it about ten times already."

"Fine, are you okay?"

"I'd be better if I had some chocolate."

Remus chuckled then brought them all some chocolate.

"What are we doing today?" asked Draco.

"Boggarts, found one in the staffroom to use."

All four of them paled in anticipation.

"We'll be okay," Blaise whispered to her squeezing her hand. 

Cassie nodded leaning into him and playing with his rings anxiously.

❾¾

A few minutes after lunch they entered the DADA classroom, shortly followed by Remus.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. It seemed they had never had a real practical Defense Against the Dark Arts class before and excitement filled them all, with the exception of Blaise, Pansy, Draco and Cassie who actually knew what they were about to face.

"Right then," said Remus once everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."  
  
He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in mid-air and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.  
  
Peeves didn't look up until Remus was only two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.  
  
"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin --"  
  
Remus' eyes were filled with amusement as he looked at Peeves and Cassie was reminded of the stories he used to tell her of his school days.  
  
"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get into his brooms."  
  
Peeves paid no attention to Remus' words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.  
  
Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.  
  
"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."  
  
He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves.  
  
With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves' left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.  
  
"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.  
  
"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"  
  
They set off again, the class looking at him with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.  
  
"Inside, please," he requested, opening it and standing back.  
  
The class filed in then, as Remus came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." 

He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult or you'll have to see his immense incompetence."  
  
Neville went scarlet and Cassie sat there in silent rage, _she would be having words with Professor Snape that much was certain._  
  
Remus raised his eyebrows.  
  
"I was actually hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."  
  
Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.  
  
"Now then, today we're doing Boggarts! So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"

❾¾

The class continued and Cassie stood in the line terrified.

"Merlin, I'd love to have a life so simple that I'd actually be excited to go against my fears in front of everyone," muttered a nervous Blaise, still holding Cassie's hand.

They watched the line gradually get shorter, everyone facing their fears take form: Professor Snape, spiders, mummies, banshees, rats and urban legends. They were near the front of the queue when Remus had Neville finish it off - they breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived.

"Cassie, Blaise, Pansy and Draco I'd like you to stay behind please."

It was at that moment when Cassie noticed another smaller wardrobe shaking.

"Of course, he brought two," she muttered.

❾¾

The rest of the class left, those who didn't have chance to go against the boggart looking slightly disappointed, until it was just them left in the staffroom.

"Do we have too Moony?" Cassie pleaded.

"Yes, Cassiopeia. Knowledge is power and acknowledging your fears can help you overcome them."

"Do you trust each other?"

"Completely," they chorused without hesitation.

"Okay, who's first?"

"I'll do it," volunteered a subdued Blaise.

Cassie squeezed his hand before letting it go and giving him an encouraging smile.

"Remember it's Riddikulus!" Remus then opened the smaller wardrobe.

❾¾

**TW: their boggarts deal with abuse, homophobia and other things that may be upsetting.**

❾¾

A man walked out who Blaise resembled, his dad Cassie assumed.

He wore a black business suit and was pointing his long, elegant wand at someone, a young woman.

Cassie gasped as the woman's face caught the light - Elora Zabini, Blaise's mum.

Except, this didn't look like her. She looked so small, so helpless and she was covered in bruises.

The scene was in a living room and Cassie could just make out a child watching from the stairs - _Blaise._

"No, please stop!" Mrs Zabini screamed.

"You deserve it, you slag! Dressing like that, flirting with all those men!" the man spat on her.

"I'm sorry _please!"_ He ignored her and raised his wand again.

_"Crucio!"_

Her screams filled the room and they all watched as young Blaise sneaked down the stairs. He had a wand in his hand which he gave to his mum when his dad had his back turned.

 _"Avada kedavra!"_ she cast at the man.

His body fell to the floor and Elora sobbed.

"Ri... Riddikulus" Blaise cast shakily.

Elora's sobs turned into laughs and she wiped away the bruises like they were makeup then tickled the younger Blaise who shrieked with laughter.

Tears streaming down his cheeks as he sat down on the floor where Cassie joined him, offering him chocolate and a hug.

❾¾

Pansy quickly stepped in front of the boggart before it could advance on anyone itself.

Pansy was faced with a mirror, nothing seemed wrong until she saw her mother and father behind her.

Her mother had a strong grip on her shoulder and her father was sneering.

"This is not you Pansy!" Her mother snapped, "Are trying to disappoint us because you are succeeding. Trying to get _disowned_ like your sister?"

"A _girl,_ you are in love with a _girl?"_

Boggart Pansy had tears in her eyes and nodded.

"You have been corrupted! Next you'll be saying you're in love with a _mudblood_."

She tensed at the word.

"I forbid you from seeing her!" her father said. "You shall marry a nice pureblood boy; I will not have you being some queer blood-traitor scum!"

The scene shifted to Pansy's sister Melanie rather than her parents.

 _"Is it true you're in love with a girl?"_ she sneered.

"Riddikulus!" Pansy cast quickly, unable to handle similar words as her parents from her sister.

Melanie squealed in excitement, "Your wedding will be amazing! We'll get your dress from France and I'll be your maid of honour and we'll get to see Mum and Dad's face when they don't get invited!"

Pansy sat down looking mentally exhausted and leant against Cassie who wrapped her up in an embrace as she broke down into tears.

❾¾

Draco looked back at his fiends then stood forward to the boggart preparing for the worst.

He looked up at the boggart and saw himself, or rather an older version of himself wearing death eater robes like the ones his father still has in the wardrobe at home.

He was stood, wand drawn - he was duelling an older Cassie.

"This isn't you Draco, this is your father!"

"You don't know me."

"Your right I don't, the boy I knew would never do this."

"Shut it, blood-traitor."

"I hate you; I hope you understand that."

_"Avada Kedavra"_

Draco felt someone squeeze his hand.

"It's not real, Dragon. I'm right here and you are not a death eater."

He took a deep breath, "Riddikulus!"

Boggart Cassie got up off the floor, "You really thought you were a match for me Dragon? _Rictusempra!"_

Boggart Draco fell to the floor as the tickling spell took over and he squealed like a little kid.

❾¾

Cassiopeia then took Draco's spot; she was the last to face the boggart.

She stood, hoping and praying the scene she was thinking of wouldn't show up, but alas it did.

There she was, two-years-old again in that wardrobe. The sound of fear, death and helplessness around her.

"Move out of the way girl and I shall spare you." Voldemort hissed.

Cassie flinched as the scene played out then-

"Avada kedavra."

A blinding green light shot out from his wand and Cassie could feel Remus' terrified eyes on her as Lily's body hit the floor.

The scene then changed and suddenly the room filled with everyone she cares about: Draco, Narcissa, Lucius, Remus, Pansy, Blaise, Neville, Harry, Lily, James, Regulus and others she couldn't quite see.

With one flick of his wand, Voldemort killed them all and the last thing Cassie saw were their dead bodies on the ground before she passed out.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> This is the longest and saddest chapter I have written so far, and I'd just like to apologise - I got a little teary-eyed just writing it. They're my babies and have been through too much. :(


	21. The Quidditch Team

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: You should see me in a crown by Billie Eilish

"Hey, you okay?" asked a quiet voice.

Cassie slowly opened her eyes, quickly realising she was in the hospital wing. It was almost pitch black, definitely after curfew, and there was no-one else there. Sitting up, she met the eyes of her visitor - _Harry._

"Umm... Yeah. Sorry, but what are you doing here?"

"Oh, well..." Cassie didn't even need to look at him to know he was blushing. "You, umm, passed out."

"Obviously, but that doesn't explain why you're here, or how you know that."

"About that..."

"Come on, spit it out Potter."

"I may have seen it happen."

"What do you mean you saw it,"

"I might have been in the room when you faced the boggart." Harry mumbled, growing more fearful of her by the second.

"We would have seen you if you were... " Cassie paused as the realisation dawned on her, "Oh Circe, Prongs' cloak - you have the cloak."

Harry's eyes widened, "How do you know about the cloak! I mean, umm, what cloak?"

Cassie snorted, "Real subtle Potter, real subtle."

He cleared his throat _, "Anyway._ Yeah, I was there, but Malfoy wouldn't let me see you."

"Wait so you saw ---"

"Your boggarts, yeah."

Cassie blanched, "Harry, you can't mention any of it to anyone!"

"I know, already had a warning hex sent my way to 'show what'll happen if I dare utter a word of it'. Never knew a stinging hex could be so deadly."

"Pansy," she sighed in exasperation. 

"Seriously though, you okay?"

"Why do you even care? It's not like we're friends."

"We could be."

"Yeah, I'm sure Weasley would be thrilled about that."

"Ignore Ron, he's great but he can be a right arse when he wants to be."

"I've noticed," she muttered.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he said sheepishly.

"I think you're too optimistic, Potter."

"Harry," he corrected.

"I know your name," she rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face.

"Then use it."

"You're insufferable."

"Goodnight, Cassie."

Smirking, he left the hospital wing and Cassie couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

"Goodnight, Harry," she muttered to his retreating figure, thinking he couldn't hear her.

He did though, and he too couldn't stop smiling. _'There's just something about her,'_ he thought _'Something so delicate and yet so dangerous, something enticing.'_

Harry decided he didn't mind her chaos at all.

❾¾

A few weeks passed and everything was just about back to normal. They'd all recovered from the boggart incident and were settling into a steady school routine. 

One difference Cassie had noticed though was Harry, she'd seen he around more often and he seemed to be taken every opportunity to speak to her possible. Ron had also seemed to change, most likely with interference from Harry, and was being at the very least civil with her.

Everything was calm and the wold seemed to be at peace. In fact, Cassie was just enjoying the quiet of the library accompanied by Hermione and Tracey when -

"CASSIE!" a voice shouted, running through the library.

She sighed, "Yes, Draco?"

Draco was currently bouncing on his heels, a little out of breath and a face filled with excitement. 

He was soon followed in by Blaise who rolled his eyes at him, "Quite the excitable puppy this morning, aren't you Draco."

"Are you going to tell us why you came running in here before your tail starts wagging?" Cassie teased.

"Quidditch!"

Cassie's eyes widened, "Quidditch?"

Blaise nodded, "Try-outs in 20 minutes, come on."

Cassie looked to the girls as if to ask for their permission.

"Go on, the weather isn't too bad, so we'll come out and watch." Hermione suggested.

"Really?"

"Yeah, your very own cheerleaders. I'll even go and get some pom-poms if you want," Tracey said winking at Cassie.

Cassie smiled, blushing slightly and set off quickly to her dorm to get changed.

"You know Davis, you could cheer me on too if you want." said Blaise smirking.

"In your dreams, Zabini." Tracey replied, getting up to put her and Cassie's books away.

"In Cassie's too apparently," Blaise quipped.

Hermione laughed, "She was blushing quite a bit, wasn't she."

"Definitely." he agreed 

"Come on Blaise, stop gossiping. We need to be at try-outs too."

❾¾

Somehow, they all managed to get ready and to the pitch on time for try-outs, not many people were there as this year there was only one position up for grabs - beater.

As Cassie sized up her competition, she realized she was the smallest of the lot and the only girl. It was mostly 5th years and above trying out and the quidditch team seemed to be sizing them all up also. 

The current team consisted of the three Chasers, Captain Marcus Flint, Graham Montague and Cassius Warrington; the Keeper, Theodore Nott; the Seeker, Draco; and currently only one Beater, Blaise.

Flint was a burly seventh year who was incredibly intimidating and immensely respected by all the Slytherins for his quidditch performance. Both Montague and Warrington were muscular fifth years, Graham more so than Cassius and were not as intimidating as Marcus. Nott was a quiet third year who shared a dorm with Draco and Blaise, the only times he seemed to speak was to offend someone and Cassie decided to try her best to stay away from him.

❾¾

"Right," called Flint. "I want you all to forget who you are outside of this pitch. Titles and privilege don't apply here, if you're bad you won't get in it's that simple. Firstly, I'd like any second or seventh years to leave."

There were sounds of protests from some of them, but they were quickly silenced with a glare from Flint and left the pitch with their heads hung.

"Now, anyone who would prioritise another club over this or who isn't a hundred percent sure they want on the team should leave."

A few more people left, and more questions were asked, and then simple flying tests completed until there were only three people left, Cassie was one of them. They were then made to fly up so try-outs could officially begin, and their skill could be put to the test.

There was only a huge sixth year who looked as if his broom may snap with the weight of him, a lanky fourth year who had an evil glint in his eyes and Cassie up there with the team.

"Okay, presumably you three are the best of the bunches, and for your own sakes are hope I'm right. Your job will be to protect the team and injure the other so we can win. I'd have you start that now, but I know how good Blaise's aim is and quite frankly I don't trust you enough to save us from that."

"Oh, don't make me blush Marcus." said Blaise fanning his cheeks and fake swooning.

"Put a sock in it Zabini. I've enchanted some dummies to move and Blaise is going to try and hit them with bludgers, your job is to hit them away before they have chance to hit the dummies."

The sixth year went first and managed to only let three get hit in the five minutes, then it was the fourth year who faired a lot worst with 10 hits and was sent away and then it was Cassie.

"Right, Black you're up."

"Ready Cassie?" smirked Blaise.

Cassie nodded and it began.

Cassie was like a blur as she rushed around blocking the bludgers and hitting them back with all her force at Blaise, almost hitting him. Hermione and Tracey were cheering her on along with some others who had originally came to try out and by the end of it Blaise hadn't even got one hit, but they were both sweating a lot.

"Well, looks like Black gets the spot." said Flint once everyone had landed, sounding impressed.

The sixth year, however, didn't seem impressed, "She only didn't get any hits because she's friends with Zabini."

"Mate, I'd just leave if I were you. You weren't good enough and it may have escaped your notice, but Blaise was harder on her than he was anyone else." replied Marcus.

He huffed but walked off nonetheless and started talking to Theo.

"Don't worry about it, bet she's just one of Zabini's slags."

Everyone's eyes were on Theo as he said this, and Cassie stepped forward with a sweet smile on her face.

"Aww, did seeing a girl accomplish something hurt your fragile masculinity Nott?" she quipped.

"Why don't you get back to the kitchen you slag."

"Didn't anyone teach you not to disrespect or demean women, Theodore? I wonder how your daddy would feel if he got an owl off Narcissa or Lucius about this."

"Shut up, Bitch."

At this point Blaise and Draco were being held back and there were a crowd of people around them, Cassie still had a look of indifference from Nott's taunts.

"Oh, how your insults wound me. I bet my wand could do more damage though, you saw what happened to Weasley last time I used my wand, and he didn't say half the things you have."

He gulped but continued, "What's wrong? Did the truth offend you? Are you going to deny being Zabini's little slut?"

"Incarcerous," Nott was bound on the floor with ropes and Cassie kneeled down to his level, her wand pressed against his neck.

"I'm not with Blaise, not that it's any of your business. He's just a friend. Great guy really - he respects woman and everything, not that you'd know anything about that. I will say though, anyone would be glad to be with him, girl or boy.

Just some advice, Nott - know when to shut up. I'd expect a detention and probably a letter from your Father about this, just warning you. Oh, and if you start this again next practice I won't be as forgiving."

Cassie then stood up, nodded in thanks to Marcus Flint for the spot and then left, quickly joined by Draco, Blaise, Tracey, Hermione and Pansy, who had joined the girls on the stands at some point.

"Wow Cassie, that was amazing." Pansy exclaimed and the others added their agreements.

"I know, now does anyone have any paper. I have some letters to write and then we'll have to see Snape."

They grinned - oh Cassie would get her revenge.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> Cassie will not be disrespected - especially by little boys with fragile masculinities.
> 
> Unrelated, but it pretty safe to assume most of the characters in here are bisexual unless I say otherwise - it wasn't intentional, but I love it so deal with it.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed, vote and comment if you did!
> 
> Have a good day! Xx


	22. The Hogsmeade Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: 66 days by Rozzi

Revenge, oh how sweet it can be.

Cassie almost felt bad after seeing the howler Nott received. Key word there being almost.

He didn't have to wait long for it, Draco's owl proved to be very efficient. In fact, it was only the following morning when he received a public dressing down from his father.

They were all enjoying a peaceful breakfast as owls swooped in with the mail, a letter from an unfamiliar owl for Cassie and a bright red envelope for Theodore.

"Looks that daddy really wasn't impressed with you, doesn't it Nott," snarked Blaise as he paled.

Theo didn't even bother giving Blaise a response, still looking at the letter in horror, his untouchable demeanour long gone. Hands shaking, he opened the letters' seal.

"THEODORE NOTT," boomed the sharp voice of his father, the great hall fell silent.

"Have you no manners? Have you no respect? Did every ounce of etiquette leave you the minute you stepped on the train?" Nott's face grew red from embarrassment.

"Imagine my shock when I received the post and found a letter from Lucius Malfoy about your horrendous actions. It would have been unbecoming of you to act in such a way towards any young woman, but a lady of Cassiopeia Black's calibre. She has strong ties with the Malfoys and is heir to the house of Black. Have you any idea what shame you have brought upon our family name? Your mother would be rolling in her grave!"

He hung his head at the mention of his late mother, gaze firmly to the ground.

"I expect you home for Christmas where we will discuss this further. Mark my words young man, this isn't over." His father's words hung heavy in the air as the howler shred itself.

As Nott left the great hall, head down, Blaise gave a low whistle.

"Well, that wiped the smirk off his face, didn't it." murmurs of agreement sounded around the group.

"That a letter from his father?" Draco asked eyeing the paper in her hand.

"Yeah," she said handing him it. "a formal letter of apology."

Cassie looked upon the remains of the howler and found she couldn't bring herself to regret her actions. Maybe she would have felt a little bad for him if she hadn't seen the way he treated the other girls even just that morning, the sneers and derogatory comments.

This was just a lesson he'd have to learn the hard way.

❾¾

"Are you sure you're okay staying here alone?" asked Draco worriedly.

"I'll hardly be alone Draco."

"Right, because the firsties are great company," Blaise quipped.

"Shut it you, now go on. Just because I'm not allowed to Hogsmeade doesn't mean you all should stay too."

"You heard the woman, off you go." said Pansy rolling her eyes at them. "Honestly, it's like spending time with me is a prison sentence."

Cassie snorted, "I am the better company."

"Of course, you are, your majesty," she said with a mock curtsy. "The usual from Honeydukes?"

"Yes please," Cassie said after their laughter subsided.

"Okay see you later,"

Cassie watched them leave and then headed back to the castle with a sigh.

❾¾

Cassie was on her way to meet Remus, clearly a little too deep in thought as she bumped straight into someone causing them both to fall over.

She was about to apologise when she caught a glimpse of their messy back hair.

"Harry? What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was walking." he deadpanned, helping her up off the floor.

Cassie rolled her eyes, "I meant in the castle."

"Couldn't get my permission slip signed."

"Why? What did you do, forget to wash the dishes?" she teased.

"I may or may not have blown up my aunt."

Cassie looked him in disbelief then shook her head, "You're going to tell me that story later."

"Later?"

"Yep," she said popping the 'p'. "We've got places to be."

"We?"

Cassie nodded, "You've got no choice now, I'm kidnapping you. Moony is making me have tea with him even though he's the one who wouldn't let me go to Hogsmeade, the git, and now you're joining us."

"Oh, I'm a git, am I? Guess I'll just have to keep all the new chocolate and tea to myself if you think so low of me," commented a smirking Remus from behind her.

"Now don't be hasty there Moony," Cassie back tracked.

"That's what I thought now are you two coming or not?"

"Depends what tea it is," Cassie said with a serious expression.

"Lavender," Cassie hummed approvingly.

"Looks like where having tea then, come on Harry."

She grabbed Harry's hand dragging him along to Remus' office, oblivious to his blushing face.

❾¾

Cassie walked into the office, shaking her head at the dusty cupboards and then spelled them clean.

"How you have gone through over 30 years of life without learning a single cleaning spell astounds me," she commented dryly.

Remus merely stuck his tongue out at her, smirking as she tutted at the state of the furniture then transfigured it how she saw fit while Harry watched with wide eyes.

He tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," said Remus, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid -- but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Harry looked at him, Remus' eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," Remus told him, then passed them both a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Harry.

"Good, Trelawney's a right loon. She gives seers a bad name." said a disgruntled Cassie. "Is Minnie having tea with us today, or is she at Hogsmeade?"

"Hogsmeade, I'm afraid your gossiping will have to wait."

"You have tea with Professor McGonagall?" asked Harry in shock.

"Yeah, she gets a lot of gossip from the portraits - they like her better than Dumbledore."

"Why?"

"Because Dumbledore is a manipulative ba--" Remus cleared his throat at her pointedly "-- bad person."

❾¾

They continued talking for a while before Harry suddenly asked about something that was clearly bothering him.

"You know that day we fought the Boggart?" Cassie tensed at the mention of it.  
  
"Yes," said Remus slowly, clearly wondering where Harry was going with this.  
  
"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.  
  
Remus raised his eyebrows.  
  
"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.  
  
Harry was clearly surprised Remus admitted to it but then asked again, "Why?"   
  
"Well," said Remus, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Cassie snorted at the title, "He's hardly a Lord Moony, he was bested by a one-year-old."  
  
"Clearly, I was wrong," Remus stated, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for _him_ to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."  
  
"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I -- I remembered those Dementors."  
  
"I see," said Remus thoughtfully. "Well, well...I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is -- fear. Very wise, Harry."  
  
There was an awkward moment of silence where they all took a sip of tea.  
  
"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" asked Remus shrewdly.  
  
"Well...yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors --"  
  
He was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in," called Remus.  
  
The door opened, and in came Professor Snape. Cassie scowled as he entered, having not forgiven him for his treatment of Neville despite him helping her deal with Nott. Her glare did soften a little at the sight of the goblet he was carrying, which was smoking faintly - the wolfsbane potion. Snape stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing.  
  
"Ah, Severus," said Remus, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"  
  
Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between the three of them.  
  
"We were just having some tea. There's more if you'd like some," offered Remus pleasantly.  
  
"I'm afraid I have better things to do," said Snape. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."  
  
"Yes, Yes, I will," said Remus.  
  
"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more."  
  
"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."  
  
"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a suspicious look in his eye.  
  
Harry looked curiously at the goblet and Remus smiled.  
  
"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said.

Cassie snorted at the word 'kindly' Snape was very much not happy about it. 

"I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.  
  
"Why --?" Harry began. Cassie tensed but Remus just looked at him and answered the unfinished question.  
  
"I've been feeling a bit off-colour," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."  
  
As Remus took another sip Harry looked as if he might whack the potion out of his hand.  
  
"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out.  
  
"Really?" said Remus, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.  
  
"Some people reckon --" Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job."  
  
Remus drained the goblet and pulled a face, "Disgusting."   
  
Harry observed Remus worriedly, as if he may drop dead any minute.

"Snape hasn't poisoned him Harry," Cassie laughed and colour filled Harry's cheeks.

"You never know, could be slow acting," smirked Remus.

"The vampire aesthetic and ominous smoke doesn't help him, though, does it," she laughed.

Harry shook his head smiling, but still looking wearily at the smoking goblet.

"Come on Harry, everyone'll be back soon and then it's the feast."

"Okay, sit with me?"

"Okay, but if Draco complains I'll send him your way," she warned. "See you later, Moony."

"Have fun," he said, and she nodded leading Harry out of the room.

❾¾

Remus lent against his desk shaking his head as he watched them leave. He couldn't help the melancholy thoughts filling his head, it had been twelve years and yet guilt still festered within him as if somehow, he could have changed things.

 _'How unfair the universe is,'_ he thought, _'how unfair to let me watch them grow up, but not you.'_

It had been twelve years since he took in Cassie, twelve years since his best friends died, twelve years since he last saw the man he loves.

 _'Loathes,'_ he corrected himself sharply, _'you cannot love someone you never even knew and the man who did that isn't someone you knew at all.'_

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> Harry and Cassie's friendship is so cute! Moony is grieving, bless him :(


	23. The Break In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Troublemaker by Olly Murs

"So, this is what the Gryffindor common room looks like."

"Suppose it's a welcome change from the snake pit," Harry replied cheekily.

"Hey, I am technically a 'Snake' you know, Potter." 

"Sure, but you're also a little lion."

"Little lion, really?"

He shrugged smirking, "Well, you _are_ small."

"I'm only a few inches shorter than you," Cassie protested as Harry snickered.

"What's a Snake doing in here?" demanded Ron as he entered.

"She was also sorted into Gryffindor, _Ronald._ " Hermione shook her head at him disapprovingly and offered her an apologetic look, "Are you sitting with us today, Cassie?"

She nodded, "I was going to, Harry suggested it."

"What about _Malfoy?_ How will he survive without his precious _girlfriend?"_ Ron hissed and Harry looked interested in how she would respond.

Cassie snorted, "Draco is not my boyfriend, Weasley. He's my cousin and we grew up like siblings."

"Did Mr and Mrs Malfoy take you in, then?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Not exactly, I live with Moony but I visited them a lot growing up so he could have a break. Draco and I were taught together too and Cissa insisted on me attending the balls."

"Balls?" repeated a bewildered Ron.

"Aww is Ickle Ronniekins jealous?" Cooed one of the twins as they approached the group.

"Bet he wanted to wear a pretty dress too Freddie." the other joined in.

"A dance with a Prince --"

"A kiss at the stroke of midnight --"

"-- Oh, to be chosen prettiest of the ball," they chorused while swooning. 

Ron turned as red as his hair, "What do you two want?"

"Don't flatter yourself, brother --"

"It's not you we came for --"

"We came for her," they finished pointing a Cassie.

"Me?"

"Yes, we seek your knowledge fair maiden."

Cassie snorted, "Alright boys, you have fifteen minutes."

Hermione looked like she was going to protest it, but the twins moved too quickly for her as they escorted Cassie out of the common room saying they'll bring her to the feast with them unharmed - no-one looked willing to believe them.

❾¾

"So, you've kidnapped me now - what do you need?" Cassie asked looking at them expectedly.

"Wasn't kidnapping --" One of them responded, George she concluded.

"Not that we ruled out that possibility --" said Fred winking at her.

"But you came willingly so it wasn't needed."

"Fair enough."

"We just happened to overhear your conversation."

"Eavesdropping, I like your style."

"Why thank you, madam," said Fred bowing.

"Now, what did I say that was so intriguing? Not looking for a ball invite, are you?" she teased.

"While we wouldn't say no to an invite --"

"Love a nice ballgown, really makes my figure pop --"

"What we want to know is who this 'Moony' that you speak of is," George finished.

Realisation filled her, "You have the map!"

"You know!" they gasped.

"Of course, _I_ know," she said shaking her head. "How do _you_ know?"

"We found it --" Fred started.

"Knicked it from Filch's office in first year." George finished.

"So, Kidnapping, eavesdropping and theft, what other crimes have you committed," she teased.

"Too many," Fred said solemnly.

"Our souls shall never be cleansed," George agreed shaking his head.

Cassie laughed, "So, you want to know who Moony is?"

"Yes!" they said at once.

"You can't let him know I told you," she warned.

"Of course," George nodded.

"Subtlety is our middle name," Fred agreed.

"It maybe your very own Professor Lupin," she revealed.

Fred's eyes widened at the discovery.

"And the rest?" asked George.

"Prongs was Harry's dad, Wormtail was Peter Pettigrew and Padfoot is Sirius Black."

"Our own foster brother and yet he didn't tell us," gasped Fred. "I feel so betrayed."

George's eyes widened, "You mean to tell me not only is your dad a marauder, but so is the man who raised you?"

"Yep, my father and godfather."

"You, fair maiden, are now our apprentice!" insisted Fred.

"No backing out now," George agreed. "You have inside knowledge that you cannot ignore."

"'Tis your destiny child."

"You can't abandon your fate."

"We won't allow you to live that way --"

"Can't have you grow to be normal --"

"Or Merlin forbid a prefect --"

"The horror!" they chorused wiping away fake tears.

"Moony was a prefect," she told them with a smirk.

"Blasphemy!" they gasped. 

"Oh boys," she said shaking her head fondly. "You have so much to learn."

❾¾

They eventually walked her to the great hall, unharmed as promised, and were met by the curious yet mistrusting eyes of the other Gryffindors.

"Are you sure they didn't do anything to you?" asked Hermione for the fourth time since Cassie had sat down.

"Yes Hermione, they just wanted me tell them something. No tricks just a conversation," she insisted.

"If you're sure," she relented, still not looking convinced.

"As if we'd do anything to Cassie," George scoffed.

"Have you no faith in us?" Fred pouted in mock offence.

The feast was delicious, and they all enjoyed second helpings, or third in Ron's case, until their stomachs were filled to the brim.

❾¾

Cassie sat looking around the hall at all the wonderous decorations until her gaze was caught at the Slytherin table. Her eyes widened as a figure saw her and started to approach her.

"I need to hide!" she exclaimed.

"Why?" Harry then laughed following her gaze.

"This is not a laughing matter Harry James Potter! It's your fault I'm here in the first place and now we need to get away from the grumpy creature."

"You heard her Fred," said George looking at his twin who nodded.

"One distraction coming up fair maiden, operation stop the blond albino begins."

Cassie rolled her eyes at them but quickly got her things together anyway and then grabbed onto Harry's had.

"Come on Potter, to the tower we go."

Ron and Hermione quickly caught on and followed them pushing through the crowd of students beginning to leave the hall as Fred and George advanced on Draco.

"Quickly," she squeaked as they neared the exit. "I'm never going to hear the end of this."

❾¾

When they finally reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

Cassie attempted to peer over the heads in front of her, only to realise she was too short to see over anyone's head. 

Harry snickered at the annoyed look on her face, "The portrait is closed, I think we're all locked out."

She smiled at him gratefully.

"Let me through, please," came a load, pompous voice, as he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password -- excuse me, I'm Head Boy --"

Cassie racked her brain trying to figure out who he was. _'Bossy, pretentious and ginger? Oh, that'll be Percy, then.'_

Then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" asked a girl, whom Cassie recalled was Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Cassie moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my --" Hermione grabbed Ron's arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes sombre, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," commanded Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" asked Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves' grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead, he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" asked Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Cassie paled at the mention of her father and Harry squeezed her hand looking worried. There really wasn't a calm year at Hogwarts was there.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> Ron is still an arse (but he'll get better soon), Sirius makes his first appearance at Hogwarts and the Weasley twins have a new partner in crime. Could Cassie's life get any more complicated? Probably.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, please vote if you did, and have a good day.
> 
> Wishing you well Xx


	24. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Greek Tragedy by The Wombats

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined not ten minutes later by confused students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. He then gave a very vague explanation of what had happened, conjured up sleeping bags and nightwear for them all and left with the other professors in order to search the castle.

At this point Cassie was really regretting going with Harry, especially after she spotted Draco heading towards her and had nowhere to hide from his overprotective wrath.

In an attempt to be unseen, she started walking away, using Harry as a human shield. Unfortunately, this was ineffective, and Draco had started to catch up, leaving her no escape route.

"Cassiopeia Lupus Black, don't you dare walk away from me," he all but shouted and Cassie cringed at the use of her full name.

She froze, still scoping out escape routes. _'Which is worse,'_ she thought. _'Chancing it out in the corridors where my mass-murderer of a father may be, or suffering a scolding from an anxious mother-hen Draco?'_

"I wouldn't dream of it cousin dearest, might I say your pyjamas are rather fetching."

His glare heated, _'Flattery isn't the way to go then,'_ she realised. _'I definitely should have tried my chances with the murderer.'_

"Don't 'cousin dearest' me Cassie! Do you know how worried we were? We couldn't find you and then you just showed up with the lions," he hissed.

"Cool it, Malfoy," Harry warned.

"This doesn't involve you Potter," he said dismissively.

Harry looked to Cassie and at her nod he reluctantly returned to Hermione and Ron to give them some privacy.

"I'm fine Draco," she insisted. "I just went back to the Gryffindor common room with Harry after we had tea with Moony, Harry isn't allowed to Hogsmeade either."

Draco seemed less tense after that, knowing she had been safe. 

"They're saying it was your dad," he said softly. "Was he really here?"

She nodded, "Peeves told Dumbledore he destroyed the fat lady's portrait."

"Salazar! How'd he even get in?"

"I don't know," she paused looking around at the crowded room hesitantly.

"Sin embargo, sé cómo podemos averiguarlo," she said lowly, cautious not to be overheard even if they were speaking a different language. **~Roughly translates to 'I know how we can find out, though'~**

"¿Tu tío?" he caught on and she nodded in response. **~Your uncle?~**

"Tendremos que salir de esta sala si queremos respuestas." **~We'll have to leave this room if we want answers~**

He nodded in agreement, "¿Traigo a Blaise y Pansy?" **~Shall I bring Blaise and Pansy~**

"Si," she agreed. "pero tendremos que irnos pronto." **~Yes, but we will have to leave soon~**

At that they began their search for Blaise and Pansy, then, after around five minutes of searching, they snuck out of the room unnoticed as Percy called for lights out.

❾¾

"Do you really think he'll know?" asked Pansy worriedly.

"I think he'll know more than us."

They had exited the Great Hall and found an old classroom to sit in. They were all quite paranoid, to the point where the door had several locking charms on it and a flipped over desk barricading it.

Blaise and Pansy had joined them without hesitation, something that Cassie was extremely grateful for as she needed the support, and they were some of the very few people who knew of her ability.

"How will he know you want him?" inquired Blaise.

"Oh, he'll know," Draco answered for her. "Regulus always knows when he's needed, even before Cassie does."

Cassie caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of her eye and her friends' conversation faded into background noise, she breathed out a sigh of relief, "Tío Reg."

"Hey Midget," he greeted gently. "You okay?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as the magnitude of the situation hit her, "Not really."

"Hey, hey. Deep breathes," he moved to kneel on the floor in front of her. "You're okay Cassie, you're safe."

"But he's here! He already ruined everything and now he's back," she breathed out between sobs.

Regulus' heart broke for her, _'So much pain and yet so much more to come.'_

"Shh, it's okay. He's not here to hurt you." 

She looked up at him with watery eyes, "What do you mean? Tío Reg, what do you know?"

He hesitated, "Umm, well..."

She looked at him expectantly.

 _'Couldn't just keep your mouth shut, could you?'_ he berated himself.

"I may know a lot," he mumbled.

"Such as?"

"Where to begin," he stalled.

"From the beginning, perhaps." she drawled.

He sighed, "Fine, but it's a long story..."

❾¾

"Okay," she said trying to process what she just heard. "So, you're telling me that my father - mass murderer Sirius Orion Black - is innocent?"

"Yep."

"And he's here to try and kill Ron Weasley's rat, who's secretly Peter Pettigrew?"

"Pretty much."

"And the prophecy, the one that somehow Albus Fucking Dumbledore knows about, says that I have the power to stop a war that hasn't even started yet - and Harry James Potter, the bloody definition of reckless, has to help me?"

"Unfortunately."

"Merlin, I need a drink," she sighed.

"A drink? Cassie you're fourteen-years-old!"

"I'm aware," she rolled her eyes. "But I've just been told that the weight of the wizarding world is on my shoulders so excuse me for thinking that some of Luci's whiskey would be good right about now."

"Fair enough," he shrugged.

"Is that all the live changing news for me?"

"For today," he smirked, and she looked at him in disbelief. "Now, I'd recommend explaining this to your friends over there because they just heard an alarming one-sided conversation and Draco's head looks ready to explode."

She laughed, "Okay, love you tío Reg."

"Love you too, you Midget." 

She shook her head fondly at him then turned to face her alarmed friends whose eyes were comically large.

"Explain," Pansy ordered frantically.

"Yeah, okay."

❾¾

"Maybe Moony was right," said Draco worriedly.

"What do you mean?"

"He said it wasn't safe for you and then only two months into the school year you find out there's going to be a war and you're going to have to save everyone. We can't lose you Star; I can't lose you!" tears spilled down his cheeks as he spoke desperately. 

"No, stop that! Remember the start of the summer holidays, Dragon? Remember what you said to me? You said you weren't going anywhere, that I wasn't going to lose you. We're in this together remember. Where you go, I'm going since there is no me without you."

"Promise?" he said sticking his pinkie finger out.

She giggled, "Promise."

"You've got us too," Pansy expressed.

Worry filled her, "You don't have to do this, what about your parents? I couldn't ask that of you both. It would be putting you both in danger! Have you seen the newspapers from the last war? I couldn't let you risk that for me."

"You're rambling Cassie," Pansy teased. "And you think too much. We're here for you, you're both more family to us than the majority of our actually family."

"Still," Cassie continued with unease. "You don't have to do this."

"You couldn't get rid of us if you tried, Bellissima," Blaise promised tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and then pulling her into his arms. 

Cassie melted into the embrace, losing herself in the much-needed warmth and comfort he provided.

Draco cleared his throat pointedly, all but forcing them to separate.

"That's basically my sister you have your hands all over," he said threateningly.

"Well, yeah. I haven't forgotten who she is in the last five minutes Draco, that would be concerning."

Cassie was shaking her head at them and was caught off guard as Pansy tackled her into a hug of her own.

"You dare think to yourself again that I would drop you that easily when you clearly are going to need me and I swear to Salazar I'll kill you myself," she threatened, holding her tightly as if she might disappear at any given moment.

Cassie muttered an apology.

"I swear you're going to give me a heart attack one day," Pansy muttered and pulled away from the embrace, kissing Cassie's cheek.

"Hey!" Blaise called out in offense. "How come Pansy can stand there basically groping her and then kiss her on the cheek without a single word from you when all I do is hug her and you threaten to avada me."

"I didn't 'basically grope her' you twat," cried Pansy indignantly.

"Because Pansy is a lady," Draco said simply.

"Yeah, and? Cassie is the definition of bisexual," Blaise snorted.

"I still stand by my point Zabini," Draco said smirking. "It's not my fault you are no lady." 

"Draco," Cassie mock gasped. "Are you implying Blaise is a harlot?"

Pansy grabbed her hand giggling, "Come on Cassie, let us return to the Great Hall to escape this scarlet woman."

Eventually, they all made it back to the Great Hall, thankfully without being caught, for some much-needed rest, all feeling a lot better than they had before leaving it the first time around.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> So, apparently, I have no self-control and have to post every time I write a new chapter instead of having pre-written chapters. 
> 
> Also, yes part of what Cassie said to Draco was an insert from the song 'Achilles, come down' - what about it?
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, if you did please leave a kudos (if you haven't already) and a comment (if you're feeling generous). Have a great day!
> 
> Wishing you well Xx


	25. The Dementors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Lifeboat by Elle McLemore

The school spoke of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Sirius could turn into a flowery shrub.

As the rumours multiplied, so did the distance students put between themselves and Cassie. Evidently, it also limited the amount of time she could spend alone as Draco, Pansy and Blaise were reluctant to even let her walk to the bathroom alone in fear of someone hexing her.

Not that she minded, being alone would mean being left to deal with the thoughts she was trying so hard to silence. _'It was a strange thing,'_ she thought, _'to be terrified of your own mind.'_

Even Minnie was worried for her, she kept her behind after transfiguration and told her as much.

"You must be careful Cassiopeia," she had warned.

Cassie had just nodded and ensured her she would be. She was half tempted to tell her she needn't be cautious because her dad wasn't here to hurt her but thought not to. How was she to explain to Minnie that he was framed, and Ron's rat was the real culprit, so far, she had no evidence of it and no plan.

On top of that she also had the added pressure of the upcoming quidditch match, Slytherin vs Gryffindor, and it was almost the full moon, so Remus was being extra protective of her. 

By Thursday Remus had already threatened Harry twelve times (for making comments that were 'very much not platonic of you, Mr Potter'), gave Blaise a weeks' worth of detention (for 'a complete and utter lack of subtlety and tact'), physically removed her from Tracey's vicinity when he found them in the library together ('you are not straight enough to sit that close to her even if you insist you are just friends, Cassiopeia Lupus Black') and decided to just lock her in his private living quarters for the rest of the day. 

To say Cassie was fed up was an understatement, if fact you could even go as far to say that she was on the cusp of an existential crisis. Especially if you took into count that she had learnt less than a week ago that she had the power to save the wizarding world in a war that hadn't even begun yet, and her mass murderer of a father wasn't actually a mass murderer. It was safe to say that she had yet to unpack all of _that_ because _'Do I really need_ ** _more_** _emotional trauma right now?'_

❾¾

"I'm just saying locking me up in here - kinda rude," Cassie complained.

"Well, if you'd just behaved -"

Cassie scoffed, "I have been behaving!"

Remus sighed, "You're just growing up, and the wolf doesn't like it."

"Don't blame it on the wolf, you enjoyed every minute of all of this."

"Blaise was far too smug for his own good," he smirked. "and threatening Harry was quite funny."

She cracked a smile, "It was a little entertaining, but what about Tracey? That was just uncalled for."

"Well, at least she knows you're not straight now," he shrugged, a scheming glint in his eye.

Colour filled Cassie's cheeks, "I don't like Tracey like that," she muttered.

"Whatever you say," he teased.

She cleared her throat, "Anyway, If I'm trapped here until class tomorrow can we at least invite Minnie for some tea."

"Fine, but you're making it."

"Deal."

❾¾

After a night of gossip, Cassie woke up to moans of pain. 

"Moony?" she called out worriedly but got no response.

She opened his bedroom door gently and saw him writhing in pain, blankets twisted round himself awkwardly.

She rushed to his bedside, "It's okay, Moony. You'll be okay."

She felt his forehead, winching at the heat of it, and grabbed a cloth. She ran the cloth under cold water, rung it out and then placed it on his forehead.

"Cassie?" he mumbled hoarsely.

"I'm here," she grabbed his hand. "Just a bad moon day, nothing we haven't dealt with before."

He squeezed her hand lamely and murmured incoherently, before slipping unconscious. Cassie untangled him from the mess of blankets and then looked at the clock sighing - 2.00am.

She quickly got dressed and then flooed Poppy, who appeared shortly after.

"He was fine yesterday," Cassie said with teary eyes.

"It's the full moon today, sometimes it's just bad," Madam Pomphrey explained sadly.

"I know, it's just not usually this bad - at least not when I'm home."

"He'll be alright, he's a fighter. Now how about you get him some clean clothes while I bring him to the hospital wing."

She nodded mutely, watching anxiously as Remus left on a stretcher.

Poppy had tried to make her sleep while in the hospital wing, but she had refused, choosing to instead watch over Remus' every move trying to convince herself that he'd be okay.

❾¾

Cassie entered DADA tiredly and sat in between Draco and Blaise. The boys shared a concerned look as they took in her worried expression and the dark circles under her eyes.

"Hey Star, what's up?" Draco asked gently.

"Moony," they winced in recognition.

"Bad day?" Blaise asked and she nodded.

Pansy walked in shortly after with Cassie's bag and some coffee.

"Here," she said handing them to Cassie. "I'd have gotten you some food too, but I figured you wouldn't have much of an appetite." 

Cassie gave her a small appreciative smile.

"So, no Moony for DADA today?" Draco asked.

She shook her head, "I think it's Snape, but I might be wrong. I wasn't really worried about the lesson."

They nodded and chatted idly until Snape barged in the room dramatically and magicked all the curtains shut, leaving the room in almost complete darkness.

"I'll be teaching DADA today since your teacher has found himself _indisposed_ at the moment..."

❾¾

Harry came bursting into class ten minutes late, attracting everyone's attention and Snape's anger.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I --"

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."

But Harry didn't move.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" he said.

"I swear that boy has a death wish," Pansy muttered.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"

Cassie scoffed, "A bit too ill - he couldn't even stay conscious when I left him."

Draco squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry continued.

Snape's black eyes glittered.

"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far --"

"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start --"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"You'd think he would be a little less harsh when the man is suffering," Blaise muttered disapprovingly.

"He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever. Cassie smiled lightly, happy that Remus had made such a great impression already.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you -- I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss --"

Cassie watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered, and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"-- werewolves," said Snape.

She scowled at him as Blaise, Draco, and Pansy shared worried expressions.

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks --"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"

With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

When no-one answered he chuckled darkly, "Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione - the only person with their hand up. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between --"

"We told you," said Pansy suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on --"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf --"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because almost every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again; you will be very sorry indeed."

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.

"Very poorly explained...That is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia...Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three..."

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

They left and Cassie was thoroughly enraged by Snape's attempt to out Remus' secret.

"I need to go see Hermione later," she told them.

"Why do you need to see Granger? You can't go to the library today, you're exhausted," asked Draco.

"Because of _him_ she knows," Cassie growled. "I'd report him to Dumbledore, but I doubt anything would be done and I'd rather not have to speak to him if I can help it."

"By 'she knows' you mean..." Pansy trailed off worriedly.

"Yeah, she knows about Moony. I could see her putting the pieces together as the lesson went on."

Blaise swore and they all nodded solemnly. 

Merlin, how she hated Snape!

❾¾

Cassie stood on the quidditch pitch shaking from the cold and cursing every entity she could think of for the horrific weather.

 _'Of course, my first proper match would be in a storm,'_ she thought bitterly.

Luckily, Cassie had suggested they all cast warming and rain protection charms on themselves so that the weather didn't affect them as much, looking at the Gryffindors though, it seemed that none of them had had such a thought.

Cassie saw more than heard Madam Hooch telling them all to mount their brooms after Flint and Wood shook hands. She then blew her whistle and suddenly all fourteen players were up in the air.

She nodded to Blaise, getting in position. It was difficult to see through the rain, but Cassie could just about hear Lee Jordon's commentary and aimed a bludger at the blurry Red and Gold shapes near the goal posts.

Blaise bumped her shoulder playfully, smirking as faint cheers and boos were heard over the storm as the quaffle was dropped.

The game continued this way for a while, Blaise and Cassie preventing the Gryffindor chasers getting close to scoring almost every time. After a while though, Wood called a time out and they all flew down.

❾¾

"What's the score?" asked Draco as everyone was reapplying their charms.

"We're fifty points up," supplied Blaise.

"Be out there all night if someone doesn't catch the snitch, though," groaned Montague.

"That someone better be you Malfoy," growled Marcus. "You were right about Black, her and Zabini are handing Gryffindor's arse on a silver platter and I'd appreciate it if you didn't ruin the victory by allowing Potter to get the snitch."

Draco nodded dutifully.

"The visibility really isn't helping us though," moaned Cassie.

"We're better off than the Gryffindors," snickered Blaise. "I swear I saw one of the Weasley twins get confused and hit a bludger towards Potter."

The team chuckled and soon enough it was time for them to get back into the game.

❾¾

The game seemed to get more desperate as time dragged on and everyone on the pitch looked quite miserable.

Everything was dragging on until everyone's attention was drawn to the seekers.

"Harry!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal post. "Harry, behind you!"

Draco noticed the snitch first and flew up in hot pursuit of it, Harry following not far behind him.

They were neck and neck racing until suddenly it changed direction and Draco flattened himself against his broom, diving down towards the snitch. Everyone was looking at Harry expectantly, but he hadn't followed, entranced by something in the distance.

A mighty chill swept across the pitch and Cassie saw just what had caught Harry's attention.

**Dementors.**

The hooded figures swarmed the pitch and then she was briefly aware of someone falling.

The dementors seemed uncaring of their attempted murder and carried on their rampage, unperturbed. 

Cassie's awareness shifted and she was suddenly very aware of screams and agonising sobs. Then she felt a sense of abandonment and grief that seemed to fill her up into a hopeless state of depression.

She then felt the icy mist around her and noticed someone else falling - wait, no, she was the one falling.

Why was she falling? What was happening? What was she doing in the air, anyways?

She could vaguely remember playing quidditch. 

Wasn't she supposed to be watching Draco catch the snitch? He would be so mad if realised she hadn't seen his victory against Harry.

The closer to the ground she got, the clearer her foggy brain got, and she was minutely aware of what was happening. 

She regained her awareness when she was only meters from the ground and time seemed to slow. Something had caught her eye. There was a black grim-like dog watching the game, who seemed to be howling in agony at the scene.

Even from the great distance between them, Cassie could see its piercing grey eyes - frantic and oddly familiar.

And then, it clicked. Images of her father flashed before her eyes, age old memories and photo album pictures. Then came a reminder of Regulus' admissions and his brief, seemingly unimportant Animagus descriptions.

"Dad?" she gasped and then it all went black.

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> This update is later than I'd have liked it to be, but it's longer than usual to make up for it.
> 
> Remus is suffering, bless him, and Cassie just might have a mental breakdown at the sight of Sirius.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great day! 
> 
> Wishing you well Xx


	26. And so it Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Meet me in the Hallway by Harry Styles

"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"Thought they were dead for sure."

"Draco will you stop pacing, you're giving me a headache!"

"The scariest thing I'd ever seen."

"So bloody cold."

_Scariest... scariest thing... cold... screaming... falling... dead..._

Cassie's eyes snapped open and she took in a gasp of air.

"Bellissima!" Blaise greeted, relief clear in his gaze. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I just fell 50 feet," She groaned, memories flashing before her eyes as if on fast forward. The storm - hitting bludgers - the snitch - dementors - falling - a dog... _her dad?_

Blaise snickered, "In a bit of pain then?"

"How about I throw you off your broom while 50 feet up and surrounded by dementors, see how you'd like it?"

"I'd happily do that for you Cassie, save you the effort," volunteered Pansy.

She sat up, only just realising her bed was surrounded by the quidditch team. 

"We won, right? Please tell me I didn't fall off my broom on my first match to then have lost the game." she said looking at Marcus expectantly. 

"Don't worry, Malfoy caught the snitch just before Potter fell. You kicked arse out there today Black," he said approvingly.

"Yeah, until I fell off my broom," she snorted. "Wait... my broom. Where's my broom?"

"We put it away with the others," Blaise informed her and she breathed a sigh of relief. "I caught it as soon as you started falling, just wasn't fast enough to catch you."

Cassie looked over to the other crowded hospital bed next to her and saw Harry and the Gryffindor quidditch team, but their captain wasn't there. "Hey, where's Wood?"

"Still in the showers -" informed George, who had just come to check on her after realising she had woken up.

"-we think he's trying to drown himself." finished Fred.

Cassie snorted, "Not happy for the loss, then?"

"No, he admits it was fair though," said George.

"When Malfoy caught the snitch, he didn't even know Harry was falling," Fred conceded, if a little reluctantly.

"Speaking of Draco, where is he?" she asked, looking at Pansy.

"Over there," she pointed towards a covered hospital bed. "Madam Pomfrey forced a calming then sleeping draught down his throat. He was **not** happy about your fall, started ranting and pacing around. He'll be released in the morning, apparently."

"It was quite amusing up until he tried to give me a black eye," said Blaise grinning.

"You did say to him 'Sit your arse down, Draco. What're you doing to do, tell your Father about this?'" said Pansy shaking her head as Cassie chuckled.

"It's not my fault I joke when I'm nervous," he pouted, and Cassie laughed.

After around ten minutes, Madam Pomfrey kicked everyone out so they could rest in peace and then retired to her office to do some paperwork.

❾¾

Madam Pomfrey finally let them leave on Sunday night, just before curfew, and Cassie was about to leave when a thought came to her.

"Hey Harry," Cassie started, a plan formulating in her head. "Could you bring Hermione - oh and Weasley if you must - and meet us - us being me, Blaise, Pansy and Draco - someplace next weekend. There are somethings you need to know and a plan, that I haven't yet made, to discuss."

"Umm..."

"Great! I'll meet you in the Gryffindor common room at say seven o'clock on Saturday. I'd tell you where we'll be going, but I'd sound crazy. Oh, and bring your invisibility cloak."

Harry stood staring at her perplexed, "How do you know about the cloak?" he blurted out.

"No wonder you're not a Slytherin, Harry. Didn't even think to lie about it," She tsked at him.

He continued to stare in bewilderment, and she shook her head at him, "So much to learn. I'd stay, but I'm afraid I have to go see Moony before he starts looking for me. See you later, Harry."

Harry watched her leave; shock still present on his face.

"Well, that was bloody confusing," he sighed to himself before leaving the hospital wing, wondering how he could explain whatever _that_ just was to Hermione.

❾¾

"Yo father figure, how's it going?"

Remus took in the sight of pseudo daughter with golden eyes, the wolf within him screaming as he scanned her for injuries. The last full moon had taken a toll on him and caused him to be laid up all weekend unable to visit her, but as her scent filled the air he was filled with renewed strength - the desperate need to check on his pup overpowering any pain he felt.

He said nothing, instead simply opened his arms and she happily stepped into his embrace.

"I'm fine," she reassured him.

"Cassie, you fell 50 feet."

"I know," she rolled her eyes. "It's not something you easily forget, so I don't know why everyone keeps reminding me."

"Come on," he sighed, leading her into the living room. He grabbed a blanket and curled up on the settee with her, not quite ready to be away from her yet.

"So, I'm guessing you know what happened, then?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah, Minnie told me almost as soon as it had happened. Rest assured I gave Dumbledore a piece of my mind, or more accurately the wolf did. I then promptly passed out from exhaustion, but it was worth it."

She hummed in acknowledgement, zoning out as she got more engrossed in her thoughts.

Remus touched her shoulder gently, "Cassie?"

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"I just asked if you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the dementors," she added after his disbelieving look.

He looked at her with a calculating gaze, "That's not what's bothering you. Pup, I've practically raised you since you were two - I **know** when you're lying to me."

"It doesn't matter, it's stupid," she protested.

"If it's bothering you, it isn't stupid."

She cuddled into his side sighing, "It's about..." she hesitated. "It's about my dad."

His eyebrows raised in shock, "Your dad?"

"Yeah. His Animagus form, it doesn't happen to be a big, black, grim-like dog with grey eyes, does it?"

He looked at her in alarm, "Be honest with me, Pup. Have you seen your father recently?"

"Maybe," she mumbled.

"When?!?!"

"The quidditch match, but it's not what you think..."

And so, she spent the night explaining both the prophecy and Regulus' confessions to him, retiring for the night in Remus' bed in hopes of soothing both their anxieties.

❾¾

When Remus' help, Cassie put together a plan on how to prove Sirius' innocent.

 _'Now all I need to do now is tell the others, actually do it and try my hardest not to fuck it all up,'_ she sighed.

It was easier said than done, she'd surmised, and she was really not looking forward to explaining how she even knew about all of this to Harry, Hermione and, Merlin forbid, Weasley.

She'd already realised how beneficial having the Marauders' Map would be to her cause, so decided it would be best to sort that out now. She had already figured out the twins were in possession of it, now if only she could find them.

She had been searching for them for the last hour, - much to her frustration, no-one, not even Lee Jordon, knew - when they suddenly showed up from behind a tapestry on the third floor. 

"Fair maiden," Fred greeted, gaining an eyeroll from her at the nickname they had refused to get rid of.

"We've been told you were looking for us, so what can we do for you on this fine day?" asked George.

"Fred, George - I need a favour."

❾¾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> This is a shorter chapter, but I really wanted to put out an update for you guys.
> 
> Cassie is about to start really altering things soon, so prepare yourself for that!
> 
> I'm considering having them go to the Malfoy's Christmas Ball, so what's everybody's opinion on letting Fred have that ballgown he mentioned a few chapters ago?
> 
> I'd like to thank you all immensely for all the love and support on this book, you really make my day! :)
> 
> Wishing you well Xx


	27. The Room of Requirement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: The Room Where it Happens by the Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton

"It's a wall. She's brought us to a wall."

"Give her a second, Weasley."

"I wasn't talking to _you,_ Parkinson."

"Alright, don't get your panties in a twist."

"I told you, mate - she's bloody barmy."

" 'She' is right here, y'know. Now are you coming in or are you staying, because I really couldn't care less if _you_ want to stop out here having a strop Weasley, but _I'd_ rather get this over with."

Cassie had brought them all to the Room of Requirement after meeting Harry, Hermione and Ron in the Gryffindor common room and had to endure Ron's constant complaints all the way up to the 7th floor. He seemed determined to prove that she was 'nothing but an untrustworthy snake', especially after they had met up with Blaise, Draco, and Pansy.

Ron glared at her then turned to the wall, only to find a door. He openly gaped at it, speechless for the first time that night.

"Close your mouth Weasley; you'll catch flies," Blaise snarked as he pushed past him.

❾¾

"What is this place?" Hermione gasped as everyone filed into the room.

Cassie had conjured a large room she had been perfecting for the last few hours to meet all of their needs, figuring that it would be a useful meeting place for them to use in the future. 

To the left of the entrance was a comfortable research area for them. It had a few steps leading to its carpeted floor and was equipped with many bookshelves filled with books on every topic Cassie thought they could need, a small desk, beanbag chairs, cushions and both muggle and wizarding stationary. A few paces in front of the entrance was a large table with eight chairs and on the wall behind that was a door, presumably leading to a bathroom. To the right of the entrance was an area similar to the Gryffindor common room (without the colour scheme, of course), it had a sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table and some cushions - for anyone wanting to sit on the floor - all on top of a soft plaid rug in front of a fireplace. Finally, there was a door in the far-right corner that, unbeknownst to the others, led to a room Cassie had dubbed the 'Destruction Room' which was stocked with many breakables for them to smash should they get too angry or frustrated - she had also added both muggle and wizarding first aid kits in the bathroom, _just in case_.

"This, is the Room of Requirement," Cassie informed her.

"How'd you find this place, Cassie? I've been here since first year and haven't ever seen it, yet you've been here for less than a term and have already found it," Harry asked intrigued. 

"What can I say, the house-elves love me," she shrugged.

"When did you visit the elves?" Pansy asked suspiciously before shifting her gaze to the boys. "I thought you two were meant to be stopping her from disturbing them, you **know** they have jobs to do."

Blaise and Draco let out shrieks of _'puppy dog eyes', 'deception'_ and _'please don't hurt me!'_ as Pansy raised an inquiring eyebrow towards Cassie.

"Nev takes me sometimes," Cassie revealed. "He likes their stories and I like to visit Tilly."

Pansy's eyes softened, "Tilly as in..."

Cassie nodded, "Uncle James and Auntie Lily's elf, she was given work here until he," she nodded her head towards a confused Harry, "says otherwise, or comes of age."

"Hogwarts has house-elves?" Hermione asked disgusted after a hushed conversation with Ron about just _what_ house-elves were.

"Yep."

"But... But we've never seen them."

"That's kind of the point," Draco rolled his eyes.

Cassie shot him a warning look that clearly said, _'Be nice, or you'll regret it'._

"I'll take you to see them later, despite what Pansy says they _do_ enjoy the company," Cassie said as Pansy shook her head fondly at her.

"Why, exactly, did you bring us here?" Ron rudely interrupted.

"Not that I agree with Weasley's lack of manners and tact," Blaise drawled giving Ron a disgusted look. "But perhaps you should start explaining things to them, Bellissima."

Cassie sighed but nodded anyway, knowing he was right - whether she wanted to have this conversation or not was irrelevant, she still had to have it - and prompted them all to take a seat near the fireplace.

❾¾

_(^ The RoR layout for anyone still trying to visualise it - sorry my drawing skills are terrible ^)_

❾¾

"So..." Cassie started with a nervous laugh.

"How about you start from the beginning," Draco prompted with a reassuring smile.

"The beginning of what?" snarled Ron impatiently.

Pansy glared at him, "Maybe you'd know if you could keep your mouth shut for more than five seconds. I know your family are poor but surely you can afford to use your manners, Weasel."

"The very beginning?" Cassie asked nervously, pointedly ignoring Ron and Pansy who were giving each other dirty looks.

"It'd make more sense to them, Star. I'll be here the whole time," Draco said softly.

She nodded and moved from her position next to the fire to the floor in front of one of the armchairs, so she was leaning her back on Draco's legs to keep her more grounded.

"Okay," she sighed. "I suppose I'd better start from Halloween 1981, then."

❾¾

And so, Cassie told the emotional tale of Halloween all the way to Regulus' confessions about her father, briefly pausing to collect herself at points or to answer a few brief questions like _'Wait, you were there?', 'He was imprisoned without a trial?!?!'_ and _'My rat is a grown man? But... I let him sleep in my bed!'_. She ended with the brief knowledge of her and Harry's prophecies, leaving the trio in a state of disbelief.

At some point Draco had been kicked out of the chair, which now sat a worried Pansy with Cassie on her lap as she murmured soft assurances to the teary-eyed girl, and so he was sat on the floor in front the chair with Blaise acting as silent comfort for Cassie.

Hermione was first to come out of her anxious daze and quickly got a notebook and pen from the other side of the room, noting down everything of importance to help her start planning a course of action. Meanwhile, both Cassie and Harry were staring at the floor blankly and Ron just kept murmuring his disturbances around Scabbers real identity - while things were still a little hostile between him and the Slytherins the mere possibility that Cassie was right left him unable to be suspicious of her, instead he was having a mini breakdown of his own on the sofa.

"Cassie," Blaise said gently and she raised her head to look at him. "Shall we start planning or do you need a little more time."

She shook her head and motioned for him to help her up but he looked at her sceptically and then called for Tilly.

"Yes, Master Blaise, what do he be needing Tilly for-" she broke off as she saw Cassie and then she gazed around at them all accusingly. "Who been hurting Mistress Cassie's feeling? Tilly will be getting her newspaper rolls, oh yes she will."

"I'm okay Tilly," Cassie said weakly. "Some tea would be nice though, please."

"Tilly be getting tea but then Mistress Cassie **will** be telling her who she needs to beat."

Cassie chuckled at the little elf and then sipped her tea slowly when she came back.

"So, what is being the matter?" Tilly demanded.

"Nothing, we were just explaining some sad things."

"Ah, yous be telling them of the prophecies?"

"Yeah, Tilly this is Hermione, Ron and, of course, Harry."

She turned to look at the three perplexed teens and gasped, "Master Harry, yous be back. Tilly wasn't believing the old goat man, he been very bad, but Tilly came to stay just in case."

Harry looked at Cassie, "She was my parents elf?"

"Yep," Tilly answered before Cassie had the chance and then she turned to Hermione. "It is being nice meeting you Miss Mione."

Hermione looked a little shocked as the elf curtsied to her, but quickly gathered herself and greeted Tilly kindly.

Ron, looking a little put-out over not being greeted, introduced himself to the elf.

"Oh, Tilly be knowing about you, yes she does. Tilly be knowing all about how you be treating Mistress Cassie, Weasel being lucky Tilly isn't getting her newspaper to beat some sense into him." 

He backed away from the intimidating elf as Draco and Blaise snickered.

Tilly then turned to Pansy, "Tilly be knowing Mistress Pansy being worried about us elves, but we be okay. We not being beaten here so visitors be okay."

Pansy blushed but nodded, she had been worried which was why she hadn't wanted Cassie to go down to the kitchens. Her elves had to punish themselves and they had gotten in big trouble when she was caught talking to them.

"It been nice seeing everyone," Tilly said looking at them all except a slightly offended Ron. "But Tilly be leaving now. We be making Master Draco's favourite pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, so he has to be eating them."

"Yes Tilly," he sighed.

❾¾

The seven of them stayed in the room planning and chatting until curfew when they had to return to their common rooms.

"We just formed a truce with the Gryffindors," Draco sighed. "I feel ashamed of myself."

"Hey, I'm part Gryffindor remember."

"Yeah, but your actually likeable," Blaise snarked.

"Whatever, Draco give me your mirror. I need to talk to Cissa."

Draco gave it her with a suspicious look, "Why do I feel like you're planning something?"

"Because she always is," Pansy quipped.

Cassie stuck her tongue out at them and then turned towards the dormitories, "I'll be back once I've sorted this."

They nodded, preparing a game of exploding snap, and she headed up to talk to Narcissa.

❾¾

"Cissa, we may have an issue."

"How big of an issue?" 

"Maybe a seven? Like Luci doesn't have to cover up a murder, but he might have to after you're done with me."

Narcissa gasped, "You're messing with the ball, I thought you learnt your lesson after the summer of '89."

"Hey, I apologised _profusely_ for that and it isn't that bad."

"Cassiopeia Lupus Black, **what** exactly are you planning for my ball?"

"I might be planning on inviting some people," she winced at the look Narcissa was giving her through the mirror.

"And just who are these _people?"_

"Oh, you know, just a few friends."

"How many friends, Cassiopeia?"

"Twelve," she answered, not meeting Narcissa's gaze.

"Twelve? Who're you inviting, the Weasley's?" She snarked, eyes widening at Cassie's guilty look. "You aren't!"

"I have to Cissa, it's a peace offering. I'm ensuring allies."

"I'm going to regret asking, but who exactly are you inviting?"

"Well, I had planned to just invite the twins - I just **have** to see them in ballgowns - but then we needed Harry for something, and he and Ronald come as a package deal. Then there's the whole 'Golden Trio' thing so it just be improper not to invite Hermione, and if I invited three Weasley's then I just have to invite the rest or risk being very impolite. So, I'm inviting the other seven of them - Molly and Arthur included - and then I realised that if I can convince Charlie to come, which he will because he's **awesome** , then Dora will have no excuse but to come. Then there's the issue of their outfits, so I was thinking we could go shopping - funded by me of course since they're my guests - to make sure they all look appropriate."

Narcissa sighed, "So the New year's ball will have not only nine Weasley's, but Nymphadora, Hermione Granger and Harry bloody Potter?"

"Oh, make that thirteen extra actually because of Tracey."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow at her, "Ah, Miss Davis, Remus has told me **all** about her."

Cassie blushed, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, really?" Narcissa smirked. "Then why, pray tell, are you blushing?"

"Next question."

Narcissa chuckled, "Okay then, I'll approve the extra guests. But only if **you** tell Lucius about them."

"Deal, he still owes me anyway. Maybe inviting supposed 'blood-traitors' and 'mudbloods' into his houses is how he can make up to me," she said with a predatorial smirk.

"I thought you accepted his apology?"

"I did, but he knows it's never that simple. Forgiveness shouldn't be given, It should be earnt and he is yet to earn it from me."

❾¾ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note
> 
> This chapter almost a week late... oops. Sorry about that, but in my defence, I had COVID (I haven't gone against lockdown restrictions, my dad still has to work, and I caught it off of him) so it wasn't entirely my fault. I was too sick to write a coherent chapter and didn't have the energy to even attempt to do so. 
> 
> I'm fine now though and made this a bit of a longer chapter as a consolation, hoping to get back to my regular-ish update schedule soon.
> 
> Also, you've all had a chance to meet Tilly now, I love that little elf. She is based off the elf (also named Tilly) in 'the debt of time' by Shayna Lonnie on ao3 and she's amazing, trust me.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter despite the delays, love you guys!
> 
> Wishing you well Xx


End file.
